NeWS


ElEctronics supply chain challEngEs arE gEtting worsE, says nEw rEport


and wide-ranging impacts from the armed conflict in Ukraine, alongside global inflation, and recurring COVID-19 outbreaks are compounding the situation and testing beleaguered industry supply chains. The second quarter of 2022 began much the same as the first


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quarter concluded, with nearly half of all Supplyframe Commodity IQ dimensions characterised as worsening, and saw a continuation of strong demand, production at capacity, extended lead times, and rising prices plaguing most devices. Looking ahead, for the next four quarters, the


active components market remains stubborn and hostile. From analogue power to standard logic to ASICs and sensors, it is a sea of red indicators. Passive component dynamics are not as constrained as their active counterparts, as evidenced by the higher number of yellow dimension forecasts for most sub- commodities except frequency devices and resistors. Between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022, most of the components saw a


modest increase in numbers when looking at design and production. Capacitors, PLDs, sensors, oscillators and signal devices are the exceptions who saw their design metrics drop. On the other hand, demand continued to rise for the vast majority of components, with MCUs and MPUs recording the strongest increase, followed by relays. Between Q1 2022 and Q2 2022, in terms of design and production,


Mtc hElps ultrasonic MEasurEMEnt businEss with nEw product launch


has brought a new product to market thanks to 3D printing and materials experts at the Coventry-based Manufacturing Technology Centre. Precision Acoustics came to the


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MTC for help when they were looking to launch a new anechoic test tank liner for measuring ultrasonic signals at frequencies below 1MHz. The surface structure of the tank


liners is critical for the optimum performance at these frequencies and producing a mould into which the absorber materials of the liners could be cast was proving a challenge. Conventional machining methods could not be used to manufacture the complex geometries. An SME team from the MTC’s


Manufacturing Support Services worked with Precision Acoustics to come up with a appropriate material to use for the 3D printing of the moulded former. Using the MTC’s large-build


envelope 3D printer, the team was able to produce a full-size liner template using a simulated polypropylene


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material. Using this material and process, a template was produced with the right mechanical properties and surface finish to enable Precision Acoustics to produce a mould from silicone in a cost-effective way. Precision Acoustics research


physicist Megan Jenkinson-Garner said, “The support, advice and expertise the MTC team offered throughout was invaluable and the outcome was one we wouldn’t have been able to achieve otherwise. Together we’ve been able to develop a solution that enables us to reach new markets and engage with more customers, while building our own understanding and knowledge of additive manufacturing which will undoubtedly benefit us in future projects.”


www.the-mtc.org


global supplier of ultrasonic measurement products to the medical and academic sectors


upplyframe has unveiled the results of its latest Commodity IQ Report that provides an overview of market dynamics (pricing, lead time, demand and so on) in the electronics industry. Geopolitical uncertainty


most of the components saw their capacity improve, with standard logic devices recording an increase of 12 per cent. The only components that face a decrease in design in the same timeframe are connectors, relays, oscillators and signal devices. As for demand, it is still trending upwards over the two quarters but more


steadily than seen in previous editions of Commodity IQ. It is still worth noting that the components facing the biggest increase in demand in the Q1 22-Q2 22 timeframe are signal devices, capacitors, and circuit protection devices. Commodity IQ paints a pessimistic picture, with


supply chain challenges that will continue through 2023. The electronics supply chain can expect growing challenges into next year. Through the first quarter of 2023, more than 70 per cent of lead times are forecast to increase. During that time frame, analogue, complex semiconductor (ASICs, MCUs, MPUs, PLDs), flash


memory, non-ceramic capacitor, resistor and standard logic devices are forecast to rise in price with very limited exceptions. Most of the same devices will also remain at or exceed already elevated lead times. “If anybody was still hoping we would be out of the woods by 2022,


unfortunately we’re not there yet,” said Richard Barnett, CMO at Supplyframe. “Therefore, companies need to change their approach and see how they can manage and operate with these shortages. Today, new forms of intelligence are arising, and organisations must seize and integrate them to better circumvent hazards and convert them into opportunities.”


supplyframe.com RS becomeS membeR of make Uk


manufacturing and manufacturers, by becoming a member of national organisation Make UK. The membership will enable RS to


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further its involvement in driving innovation in the UK, to help it fulfil its potential as one of the world’s biggest manufacturing nations. Emma Botfield, RS Components’ managing director, UK and


Ireland, explained: “In order for the UK to drive competitive advantage by developing the right skills, and embracing and employing the right technology, there needs to be a collective effort and support platform that enables manufacturers to connect and share best practices. This is the mission of Make UK, and it’s one we at RS wholeheartedly support and why we decided to become a member. “Our membership will enable us to contribute to this


community, using our unique position as a global service and solutions supplier along with our expansive and diverse knowledge in this area. Equally, being part of this community allows us to learn and constantly evolve whilst keeping our finger on the pulse for the good of both the sector and our customers.” Make UK provides regional and national meetings, events and


advisory boards, working at every level to ensure UK manufacturing performs and grows, now and in the future. It has thousands of members who use the platform to connect, share information, troubleshoot and campaign - all with a common goal of creating the best environment for UK manufacturing businesses to flourish, in a challenging and rapidly evolving landscape.


uk.rs-online.com/web/ Summer 2022 UKManufacturing


S Components has joined a community that works to champion and celebrate British


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