Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/634491
44 SMT Magazine • February 2016 So bearing in mind the lost capacitance of an MLCC when reducing size, you can see how device performance has had to increase signifi- cantly when reducing case size. With regard to the Internet, the fast devel- opment of consumer behavior has dramati- cally affected customer behavior on industrial websites. While Internet giants like Google, Amazon, etc., have invested billions in solving customer frustration issues to stop customers from going to other sites, industrial manufactur- ers and distributors are trying hard to play catch- up and provide the required content. A recent study stated that engineers make over 55% of their decisions without talking to anyone. So the critical need to meet their needs is obvious. Battery-backed equipment: The need to im- prove efficiency, reduce losses, and lower power consumption requirements has moved to the forefront of component technology. It's not funny math to point out that if a MOSFET oper- ates at 94% efficiency and is improved to 97%, then you reduce losses by 50%. Las Marias: What continues to be the greatest technology challenge in the electronics manufac- turing industry nowadays? Hunter: R&D has a cost, reliability has a cost, and quality has a cost, and there's been a lot of industry ink used to explain the problems associated with counterfeit parts. At the front- end of a design, component price can be over- stressed. When true installed cost due to part failure is reviewed, the value of working with a reputable manufacturer/distributor can often result in a much lower cost. Las Marias: What new technology or technologies would you say will have a big impact on the elec- tronics manufacturing industry in the next 12 to 18 months? Hunter: The growth of mobility (electric ve- hicles), sustainability (alternative energy solu- tions) and connectivity (wearable technologies) will be major drivers for the future. Here, power efficiency, energy density and size/weight ratios will drive business and provide new solutions and markets. As products are made smaller, yet maintain important performance capabili- ties, the opportunity to develop new products emerges. An example is the movement from a mainframe to a desktop PC to a notebook to a tablet, to a smartphone, and now to a watch. Figure 1: placement accuracy for different surface-mount device (SMD) sizes. eFFicieNcY, eNergY aNd coNVeNieNce: driViNg NeW solutioNs aNd markets