February, 2017
www.us-
tech.com 2017: What’s Next in Tech? By Philip Stoten (@philipstoten) L
ately, my Januaries have started with a trip to Las Vegas, not to ring in the new year, but to visit the world’s largest consumer elec-
tronics trade show, CES. I always enjoy this opti- mistic start to the year and the enthusiasm that both large and small companies bring to the world of technology. One of the trends apparent at CES has been
the continued rise of the automotive industry as a player in consumer electronics. Vehicle manufac- turers have been growing their presence at the show over recent years, and this growth has been reflected in Silicon Valley where many have opened R&D centers or formed technology partner- ships with well-known brands. This sector offers a rich vein of opportunity for EMS com- panies, where specialist manufactur- ing and materials technology add val- ue to the traditional automotive val- ue chain. The value of auto electronics
has grown year on year and will like- ly pass an average of $3,500 per vehi- cle soon, with connected infotainment systems and autonomous or assisted driving as areas for developing tech- nology. Wearables forged ahead in 2016,
with growing sales of smart watches and fitness trackers. Following Fos- sil’s acquisition of Misfit, it seems that bringing smartwatch technology to- gether with fashion is another impor- tant stage in the development of this market. This is good news for the en- tire supply chain, but particularly for the PCB industry, which is enabling wearable technology, particularly where flexibility and durability are re- quired. For a number of years I’ve seen
3D printing grow at CES without re- ally breaking through. For some time it felt like a solution looking for a problem, but we’ve seen real positive growth in the sector in 2016. 3D printing is finding application in medical technology where it’s being used to print replacement joints and limbs, among other things. The EMS industry is adopting it too, with many companies using 3D printers for their own jigs and tooling, as well as for clients that need rapid prototype services. Even companies such as Jabil
are recognizing 3D printing as a tech- nology that will change the manufac-
turing landscape. Jabil uses 3D printers for rapid prototyping at its Blue Sky facility in Silicon Val- ley, and in print farms where multiple lower-cost printers are used in combination. CES’ Eureka Park is an area that houses
startups and the companies that support them, such as crowd-funder Indiegogo, supply chain spe- cialists, consultants, and prototype manufactur- ers. Startup innovation is a bright opportunity for the EMS industry, but provides the greatest chal- lenge as manufacturers learn to communicate and work with the dynamic startup sector. Picking winners is just one of the difficulties
facing EMS companies working with innovators that need help getting quickly from an idea to a
product. Time-to-market can be the difference be- tween success and failure for many startups, so manufacturing and operations support is essen- tial.
Key enablers in the startup field are the incu-
bators and accelerators that provide companies with an ecosystem to support their growth, assist with funding and allow them to collaborate with others. Last year, I visited Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale, one of California’s largest in- cubators, where global EMS company Zollner an- nounced its corporate partnership with the tech in- cubator. It has been fascinating to see Plug and Play’s work with startups and the center is sched-
Continued on page 27
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Philip Stoten is an internation- ally recognized EMS industry expert. Known for his skills as an inter viewer, reporter and
panel moderator, Philip is a fea- tured multi-media contributor to U.S. Tech on a regular basis.
See at ATX West, Booth 4425
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