The Hidden Heat Challenge of 3D ICs—and What Designers Need to Know
Why is thermal analysis no longer an afterthought in 3D IC design—and what is Siemens doing to empower engineers across every step of the process?
In this episode of the Siemens EDA Podcast Series on 3D IC chiplet ecosystems, host John McMillan welcomes András Vass-Varnai, 3D IC Solutions Engineer at Siemens Digital Industries, to spotlight one of the most critical (and often underestimated) challenges in modern chip design: thermal analysis.
As power densities soar and chiplets stack closer together than ever before, effective thermal management is essential—not just for performance, but for reliability, lifespan, and product feasibility. András explores how Siemens is bridging the gap between design, packaging, and thermal engineering through integrated toolchains and a new generation of digital twins.
Whether you’re a silicon designer, package architect, or thermal analyst, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of collaborative thermal modeling, IP protection, and real-time simulation integration.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- Andrass Vass-Varnai’s background and current role at Siemens EDA (1:25)
- How is the shift to 3D IC packaging affecting thermal analysis? (2:35)
- What is the issue with the current approach to thermal analysis? (4:20)
- What is the significance of having thermal models for the customers? (6:50)
- Siemens’ vision for the ideal future workflow (11:00)
- Conclusion and future outlook (17:00)
Andras Vass-Varnai
Andras Vass-Varnai obtained his MSc and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. He spent over a decade at Mentor Graphics as a product manager, leading various R&D projects focused on thermal test hardware and methodologies. Before assuming his current role as a 3D IC reliability solution engineer, Andras served as a business development lead in South Korea and the United States. Now based in Chicago, IL, he is dedicated to contributing to the development of a novel 3D IC package toolchain, leveraging his experience in thermal and reliability engineering.
His main areas of interest include thermal management of electronic systems, advanced applications of thermal transient testing and modeling, semiconductor packaging, characterization of TIM materials, and reliability testing of semiconductor devices.
Explore more on thermal analysis
Deepen your understanding of 3D IC thermal management with these resources:
- Comprehensive die-to-system thermal management solutions for advanced 3D IC packaging
- Conquer 3D IC thermal impacts with Calibre 3DThermal
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