SMT007 Magazine

SMT007-Sep2022

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26 SMT007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2022 Feature Article by Dr. Ronald C. Lasky INDIUM CORPORATION It may be difficult to see any bright spots in the current economic situation. We have all experienced the devastation of the pandemic, supply chain issues, and most recently, infla- tion. However, as a senior technologist for an international materials supplier (Indium Cor- poration) and a professor of engineering at an Ivy League research university (Dartmouth College), I offer these four silver linings for those of us in the electronics industry. Silver Lining 1: Demand Because of the pandemic and supply chain issues, there exists an insatiable demand for electronics. Nearly all industries are depen- dent on electronics. For example, many auto- mobiles are structurally assembled, but are awaiting electronics installation. For exam- ple, I'm currently waiting on a Volvo that was ordered in May and is not expected until Octo- ber; the hold-up is the lack of electronics. Silver Lining 2: Greater Supply Independence e shortages during the pandemic and more recent supply chain issues are driving a sense that countries like the United States must be more independent for supply from unstable countries and regions. Most notable, action to support this concern is the recent passage of the CHIPS and Science Act. As in Silver Lin- ing 1, this bill, although controversial in many aspects, will almost certainly lead to more jobs in electronics. Four Silver Linings in the Stormy Clouds of Pandemic, Supply Chain, and Inflation

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