THE INTEGRATION OF MECHANICAL AND ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS IN THREE DIMENSIONAL CIRCUIT BOARDS IS OF TOPICAL INTEREST IN ELECTRONICS. THE COMPLEX GEOMETRIC SHAPE OF THESE MOLDED INTERCONNECTION DEVICES NECESSITATES NEW PRODUCTION SYSTEM FOR SMD--ASSEMBLY. THE HIGH DEMANDS OF ACCURACY, SPEED AND FLEXIBILITY PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM CONSTITUTES A NEW CHALLENGE FOR ASSEMBLY RESEARCH. THEREFORE ONE MAIN FOCUS OF ACTIVITIES IN THE DEPARTMENT IS THE ONGOING ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BASIC RESEARCH FOR MID AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPTS AND COMPONENTS FOR MID ASSEMBLY SYSTEMS.