Electronic device with external contact elements and method for producing a plurality of the devices

A method for producing a plurality of electronic devices having external contact elements, which comprises the steps of:

• providing a metal plate having a plurality of device positions;
• forming cutouts in a top side of the metal plate at the device positions, a contour of the cutouts corresponding to a form of external sections of the external contact elements;
• applying a mask to the top side of the metal plate, the mask having openings formed therein in a region of the cutouts;
• depositing, via one of chemical deposition and electrodeposition, at least one core material in the cutouts and in the openings resulting in a formation of metallic bulges at edges of the openings in the mask;
• applying a metallic material to the metallic bulges;
• removing the mask;
• disposing semiconductor chips having contact areas at the device positions;
• electrically connecting the contact areas of the semiconductor chips to at least the metallic bulges;
• coating the metal plate with a plastic housing composition resulting in a composite body being produced;
• removing the metal plate;
• and
• separating the composite body into individual ones of the electronic devices.