Component Miniaturization - Key trend in SMT

Following the difficult trading conditions experienced during the global recession, the SMT placement equipment market is growing once again, and is expected to continue doing so for the near future. The promising economies of the emerging markets are driving demand in the automotive and electronic consumer goods sectors, thus increasing demand for surface mount technology equipment, new research shows. Recent technology developments which are encouraging growth include enhanced flexibility, increased functioning pace, and superior component placement capabilities. Other factors influencing the SMT market are a global increase in manufacturing and more easily accessible funding for new equipment. In the future, manufacturers within the competitive SMT placement equipment market are more and more likely to enter into collaborations and partnerships, as the need to innovate and differentiate their product offerings becomes stronger. Adding value will be an important success factor, with servicing services representing a significant opportunity for companies. As end users of surface mount technology placement equipment need to minimise machine downtime in order to maximise return on investment figures, those SMT equipment companies which are able to offer fast, efficient maintenance and repair services are likely to find themselves in an advantageous position over their competitors.