Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Electronics Production |

Raspberry Pi: Now we ARE 'Made in the UK'

Or soon to be. Premier Farnell has agreed a multi-million pound deal with Sony UK Technology Centre (UKTec) that will see the Raspberry Pi computer manufactured in the UK for the first time.

This deal is a major coup for the UK manufacturing industry and represents a return home for the innovative British-designed Raspberry Pi, which to date has only been manufactured in China. Utilising Sony UK Technology Centre’s lean manufacturing techniques, the site will be initially produce over 300,000 units for customers across the world and is expected to create up to 30 additional jobs. Eben Upton, Co-Founder of the Raspberry Pi Foundation said: “When Pete Lomas and I built the first Raspberry Pi’s for testing last year, we never dreamed it would become so popular so quickly. The Raspberry Pi was built to develop young people’s skills in computer programming and electronic engineering; we had always intended and hoped that the Raspberry Pi would also be manufactured within the UK. We’re really delighted that Premier Farnell has been able to find such a reliable manufacturer as the Sony UK Technology Centre. By bringing the production of a UK product back into the country alongside its development and distribution, we can help support our economy and demonstrate the capabilities the UK has in terms of technological innovation, invention, and manufacturing." In the assembly of the Raspberry Pi, Sony UKTec will be investing in additional equipment to fulfil the order requirements, providing flexibility and scalability to cater for potential increases in demand. This will include additional automated circuit board equipment and double side reflow machinery. Furthermore, the site will be extending its manufacturing process capability to include a technique called package-on-package (PoP). This process allows the processor and memory to be stacked on top of each other, reducing the PCB footprint and the distance that high-speed signals need to travel, improving overall reliability. Steve Dalton OBE, Managing Director of Sony UK Technology Centre, stated; “We are now in our 20th year at the Pencoed site and we have had to diversify our service offerings to ensure the site’s sustainability. As an organisation we are continually committed to developing the site’s offering and this is shown from our diverse product portfolio through to the investment we make in machinery and the development of the processes we use. By working with innovative companies like Premier Farnell, we are able to extend our manufacturing services offering for existing and potential customers. We are also able to demonstrate our manufacturing capabilities, delivering high-quality technology products for UK companies.

Ad
Ad
Load more news
March 28 2024 10:16 am V22.4.20-2
Ad
Ad