-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- design007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueLevel Up Your Design Skills
This month, our contributors discuss the PCB design classes available at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. As they explain, these courses cover everything from the basics of design through avoiding over-constraining high-speed boards, and so much more!
Opportunities and Challenges
In this issue, our expert contributors discuss the many opportunities and challenges in the PCB design community, and what can be done to grow the numbers of PCB designers—and design instructors.
Embedded Design Techniques
Our expert contributors provide the knowledge this month that designers need to be aware of to make intelligent, educated decisions about embedded design. Many design and manufacturing hurdles can trip up designers who are new to this technology.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - design007 Magazine
Shawn Dubravac: What’s New in Tech
January 12, 2023 | Shawn DuBravac, IPCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Editor’s Note: IPC Chief Economist Shawn Dubravac will deliver a keynote address titled “What's New in Tech: The Micro Trends Defining the Future of Electronics,” at noon Jan. 23. Advance/separate registration required if luncheon is not included in registration package.
Technology is playing an ever-expanding role in every industry, from agriculture and healthcare to transportation. Each year, new concepts, prototypes, and product introductions are redefining what we know and expanding our imaginations about what's possible. How we experience the next decade as well as how we live, work, and play over time will be undeniably linked to technology developments. These innovations also have important implications for the future of electronics manufacturing.
Here are a few areas to watch.
Innovation in Sustainable Materials
As the world grapples with issues like climate change, consumers and manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to reduce environmental impact. This has led to a focus on fostering innovation in sustainable materials, renewable energy sources, and recyclable components. One example is CarbonX, a new carbon material composed of nano-sized carbon filaments that could help tire makers meet the increasing demand for sustainability.
Technology will play a pivotal role in this transformation and one sector set to see tremendous change is the auto industry. Numerous auto manufacturers are adding electric vehicles to their offerings, with some planning to shift their entire production to EVs in the years ahead. Jaguar plans to be all-electric by 2025, Alfa Romeo by 2027, and Mercedes, Lexus, Rolls-Royce, Volvo, Audi, and Cadillac have all committed to be exclusively electric by 2030.
In the coming years we will see new EV models, but this transformation extends well beyond just the vehicles being driven. The entire charging infrastructure is undergoing a massive change and that is having an impact on urban landscapes and garages everywhere. EV infrastructure companies are working to differentiate their offerings, develop new markets, and introduce new business models. We are seeing improved user interfaces, faster-charging capabilities, greater connectivity, improved ease of use and installation, and the ability to work directly with the electric grid on smart grid applications like vehicle-to-grid technology that enables EVs to charge during off-peak hours and even sell back to the grid during peak hours.
The Prevalence of Autonomous Vehicles
Automation is increasingly prevalent in every industry. Autonomous vehicles are taking on diverse forms. Last year GM introduced its InnerSpace Autonomous concept vehicle, a two-passenger luxury all-electric autonomous vehicle. Hyundai Heavy Industries demonstrated an autonomous boat, equipped with depth sensors, cameras, and AI, then announced it would be working to employ the technology in larger merchant ships. Autonomous Formula 1 race cars set new records as part of the Indy Autonomous Challenge.
Robots are showing up in a variety of places. Delivery robots like those from Ottonomy are automating last-mile delivery. Pittsburgh International Airport recently announced a pilot project with fully autonomous delivery robots, offering passengers a contactless delivery system for drinks and food orders. Autonomous vehicles from Starship Robots are ferrying items across college campuses to hungry students. Recently, Neubie partnered with Samsung to automate deliveries on golf courses. The beverage cart may never be the same again.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the December 2022 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
The New Industry: Will the Growth Continue?
04/30/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamHow sustainable are the primary financial models in the United States regarding PCB fabrication shops? In this interview with economic experts Shawn DuBravac and Tom Kastner, we explore what’s happening with U.S. printed circuit board shops in today’s market, how consolidation affects the industry, and what can be done.
TTM’s High Tech Expansion and Industry Innovation
04/30/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineTom Edman has been the CEO of TTM Technologies since 2014 and has an extensive background in electronics and manufacturing. TTM is a leading global manufacturer of technology solutions, including mission systems, RF component and RF microwave microelectronics assemblies, and quick turn and advanced technology printed circuit boards.
U.S. Companies Invest Heavily in Robots
04/30/2024 | IFRManufacturing companies in the United States have invested heavily in more automation: total installations of industrial robots rose by 12% and reached 44,303 units in 2023. Number one adopter is the car industry followed by the electrical and electronics sector.
USPAE to Springboard U.S. Technology Forward
04/30/2024 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineThe U.S. Partnership for Assured Electronics (USPAE) was launched as a nonprofit subsidiary of IPC in 2020, specifically to manage the DoD relationship and access to funding, and to develop a cooperative facility to develop UHDI capabilities in the U.S., not only for the defense sector, but for the whole of the U.S. electronics industry. It is a tall order, but industry veteran Joe O'Neil believes it will happen. Having been tasked with making the UHDI Capable Cooperative Production Facility (UCCPF) a reality, he provides an update on this important project for U.S. electronics manufacturing.
Samsung Electronics Begins Industry’s First Mass Production of 9th-Gen V-NAND
04/29/2024 | Samsung ElectronicsSamsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has begun mass production for its one-terabit (Tb) triple-level cell (TLC) 9th-generation vertical NAND (V-NAND), solidifying its leadership in the NAND flash market.