That market was also destined to end up on the commodity pile, so Endoh in 1994 assigned 50 researchers to a challenging task: Cut plastic chip package costs by one-third.

FORBES: It's all in the packaging

This circuitry will allow the microprocessor maker to replace the delicate bonding wires connecting the chip to the package with tiny balls of solder.

FORBES: It's all in the packaging

The US constitution gives Congress significant powers over purse-strings, and Republicans have said they will seek to slash funding for implementation or to chip away at the package in other ways, possibly by attaching provisions to crucial bills like the federal budget.

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The team funneled the time consuming and cumbersome solution into a more practical package: a redesigned memory chip that packs onboard heaters.

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Package makers work hand in glove with chip companies and know a lot of secrets about future designs.

FORBES: It's all in the packaging

Their working model is a shoebox-sized package of electronics and liquid-filled tubes, with a silicon chip at its core.

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