A platform carries an integrated circuit (IC) (20) for handling and alignment through wire bonding operations, provides interconnections, and supports the shielded IC with uniform, controlled adhesive thickness. The platform base (10) has a flat portion which may have a slot (30) extending the length of a chip with wire-bond pads (140). The IC is mounted to the platform base with cast or contained adhesive, epoxy, or tape (50), which provides at least one adhesive surface. For several rows of wire-bond pads, there may be several slots. If the platform carries more than one chip, the platform base may have one or more slots (30, 40) per chip. A platform may carry other components (110, 120). Circuitry (90) may be printed on one or both sides of the platform base, with moderate resistivity to damp ringing of noise signals. Wire bonds are made through the slot (30), connecting IC pads with circuitry. The platform base may have conductive areas (90) on one or both sides to provide a shield or bus connected by wire bonds. Conductive bus elements (60 and 70) may be attached with tape (80). The platform may have terminals (100) for interconnection with higher level of circuitry and/or narrow leads (1220) extending over the IC. The platform base may be formed of metal, stamped in a continuous strip consisting of many individual platform segments, the individual segments being excised during assembly.