Home Articles Biggest Challenges Being Faced in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry

Biggest Challenges Being Faced in the Electronics Manufacturing Industry

Over the past few decades, the advancement of technology in the electronics industry has grown at a rapid rate. Just look at some of the top companies we know and love today. Just 10 years ago, they were brand new startup companies! It’s all about survival, and businesses have to live by the “survival of the fittest” mentality as well.

In order to survive in electronics manufacturing, the company needs to be innovative and quick. But to excel and stand the tests of time, that company needs to be able to find solutions to emerging and existing challenges in the industry. These challenges aren’t just with the electronic products themselves, either.

Everything from controlling costs and meeting customer demands to eco-assembly procedures and overall efficiency, there are a number of challenges the electronics industry is facing right now, and manufacturers are working hard to find accommodating solutions.

Here’s a quick glance at some of the biggest existing and emerging challenges being faced in the electronics manufacturing industry.

Meeting the Demand For Smart Electronic Devices

The demand for smart devices is growing at an alarming rate. Smartphones have been around for quite some time and smart TVs are quickly becoming an entertainment standard, but consumers are now wanting everything “smart.”

Researchers and developers are currently looking for new innovations to meet those needs, but in looking for more electronics to make “smart,” they’re encountering a new challenge in consumer demand- The miniaturization of consumer electronics.

According to assemblymag.com, electronics assembly is the hardest hit area for miniaturization. Small electronic devices like smartwatches, cellphones, remotes, and other fitness devices all require assembly of minuscule parts. In order for those minuscule parts to be put together, it’s going to require micro machines small enough to assemble the smart devices through microdispensing of adhesives… that’s where the challenges lie.

There are only a select few manufacturing companies that offer micro dispensing technologies, but these technologies are critical to the survival of the electronics manufacturing industry. Without the small and precise amounts of fluids (adhesives and silicones), consumers wouldn’t know how to pick the right size TV or have a watch to answer phone calls and track their heart rate, simply because there wouldn’t be anything holding these devices together to be able to use.

Short Product Lifecycles

Meeting the demand of consumer needs is already a challenge but to meet the needs of consumer demands when their needs change as often as the weather, that presents a whole new world of challenges in the aspect of short product life cycles.

In the world of consumerism, there is this thing called “trends,” meaning a particular product could be so great that it flys off the shelves as soon as it hits the market but then a few weeks later, nobody is interested in that product anymore. Because these trends come and go, it can cause fluctuations in production.

It can be somewhat hard to tell “what’s hot and what’s not” and that reason alone is why EMS companies and manufacturers need to have New Product Introduction (NPI) processes in place. Closed-loop communication between sales, engineering, and manufacturing departments are the best and most accurate way to hit targets and meet production goals.

Eco-Accommodating Procedures

As more and more people are educated on environmental safety, this same consideration for the environment is expected from businesses too. Environmental change insights have caused businesses to look into more eco-friendly assembling solutions. Things like carbon top and carbon exchanging are being investigated as a solution in green electronics manufacturing.

Demand For Energy-Efficient Products

In addition to going green, electronics manufacturing is also feeling the pressure from consumers to develop products that don’t consume as much energy. The surge of interest in solar energy and energy reduction is nothing new but as more consumers and businesses discover the cost-effective benefits from it, the demand is increasing.

The challenge is that electronics manufacturers not only have to adopt a green manufacturing process but they also have to do this while finding innovative ways to develop products that won’t cost them too much to create nor will it cost the consumer too much to buy due to energy-efficiency demands.

Overcoming the Challenges

These challenges may seem hard to overcome, and most of them are, but some of these challenges have solutions, it’s just that the implementation process takes time, and it takes more innovations to get there.

Technological advancements don’t just happen overnight, even though some of today’s advancements seem that way. It takes years and sometimes decades to perfect some of the world’s biggest challenges. But that’s why some of the world’s most brilliant minds are in the electronics manufacturing industry today.

It may not happen next week or 10 years from now, but you can rest assured in knowing that these challenges will have innovative solutions.