Semiconductors

Modern industrial societies are inconceivable without semiconductors. Regardless of smartphones, automobiles, or medical devices, almost no technical product is without this “fundamental element” of electronics manufacturing. productronica is the largest event for microelectronics in Europe together with SEMICON Europe, which is being held in parallel for the first time at the Messe München headquarters from November 14 to 17, 2017. “The worst is over”, was Gartner's message in January . In the middle of the year, analysts forecast a significant plus of 16,8 percent in 2017 for the global market for semiconductors, after a moderate increase of 1,5 percent in the previous year. Sales are expected to rise to over USD 400 billion. Memory chip prices are primarily responsible for this. In addition, the value of the content of semiconductors in electronic devices hit a record 28,1 percent this year, according to IC Insights. The market for production facilities semiconductors it is even more positive. SEMI Industry Association expects a global growth of 19.8 percent with a volume of USD 49.4 billion for this year.
China with more than sixty percent and Europe with more than fifty percent recorded the largest increases here. Among other things, the growing need for equipment is being created by the high pressure of innovation in the industry and the increasingly diversified needs of customers. Furthermore, the entire industry semiconductors it is going through deep-rooted changes. After approx. After five decades, "Moore's Law," according to which twice as many transistors are packed into a microprocessor every two years, is gradually losing its validity. Physics no longer cooperates, the manufacturing plant of semiconductors for the next generations of chips it is too expensive, and it no longer makes sense for an increasing number of chips to follow Moore's Law. For example, the focus on mobile devices is far from pure computing power for connectivity and power management. One sign of the change is industry consolidation.
One billion-dollar deal after another has been concluded in recent years. As a result, manufacturers of semiconductors they reduce costs and increase profitability, but also expand their product portfolios. Companies that were previously primarily targeting the saturated PC and smartphone market increasingly need to be active in growth segments such as the Internet of Things (IoT), industrial applications, automotive, and data storage. Also, they need to do this in shorter and shorter cycles.
innovation is mandatory
The reason for this is that the megatrends of energy efficiency, mobility and connectivity are continually demanding new solutions. Especially the Internet of Things, in which billions of networked devices will soon communicate with each other, has once again increased the speed of change. In addition to price and new features, above all "time-to-market" determines the success of a product. Therefore, it is not surprising that the industry of semiconductors be one of the most innovation-driven industries. The consequence: considerable investments in research and development. Government support and extensive collaboration reduce at least some of the costs. For example, only eleven institutes of the Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics (Hall B2 Booth 317) and two institutes of the Leibniz Association “Research Fab Microelectronics Germany” (FMD) joined forces. With this collaboration, clients from large industries, small and medium-sized companies and universities will be offered the entire value chain for micro and nanoelectronics from a single source. For systems and devices, the thirteen participating research institutions received a total of approx. €350 million from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Another major industry network for microelectronics is represented by Silicon Saxony (Hall B1 Stand 416) at SEMICON Europe. The joint booth brings together a considerable number of companies, research institutes and universities, which show the specific application areas of the technology of semiconductors such as the automobile, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D packaging and hybrid electronics.
Virtual lock for clean rooms
These high-tech products place high demands on manufacturing conditions. Almost all processes semiconductors they take place in a clean room to prevent harmful contamination from dust particles. In the meantime, however, the components have been reduced to structural sizes where even molecular contaminants pose a danger. The “clean zone” (Hall B2) at this year's productronica shows how to make sure that you work “clean”. An innovation at the fair allows visitors to access an imaginary clean room through virtual reality (VR).
The future of electronic production at productronica
The world's leading trade fair productronica, which will take place at the Messe München fairgrounds from November 14 to 18, 2017, will show what the future of electronic development and production will look like. In addition to robotics and miniaturization, the fair's focal points include semiconductors and digitization. In this sense, two other events -SEMICON Europe and IT2Industry- are held at the same time as productronica. According to the latest business climate survey conducted by the VDMA Production Department, the industry in Germany is having a year with its strongest sales since 2014. German manufacturers of systems, components and machines for electronics manufacturing expect the growth reaches 10,5 percent. The reason for the strong increase in sales is an increased demand for semiconductors in the automotive industry and the need for digitization solutions in manufacturing. Taking these forecasts into account, Falk Senger, Managing Director of Messe München, is very optimistic about productronica 2017: “The fairs reflect the current situation in their respective industries. For this reason, the VDMA numbers are indicative of a successful productronica for exhibitors and visitors alike. In addition, together with our side events SEMICON Europe and IT2Industry, we offer an overview of electronics manufacturing, semiconductors and Industry 4.0. “ Productronica exhibits are divided into five different groups.
PCB and EMS Marketplace
Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) and PCB manufacturing are the foundation of electronics production. Thanks to the PCB & EMS Marketplace, productronica has a suitable platform for these sectors. Exhibits range from circuit substrate manufacturing to EMS service provider system solutions. Companies like Atotech, Schmid Group and Schmoll Maschinen will present their products in Hall B3.
SMT: the future of laying technology
Surface Mount Technology (SMT) is at the core of electronic manufacturing. Together with the related miniaturization and weight reduction, it allows the manufacture of devices such as smartphones and tablets. productronica exhibitors will present the entire value chain - from fitting, welding and measurement and test technology to quality assurance and product finishing - in four halls (A1 to A4). Among other things, the following well-known companies are participating in productronica 2017: ASM Assembly, ERSA, Fuji Machine and Yamaha Motor.
Wires, coils and hybrids: the basis of modern civilization
Despite the trend towards wireless communication and machine control, cables are still very important in the manufacturing and production sector. From high-speed internet and measurement technology to electromobility: cables, coils and hybrid components are a major requirement. At productronica, manufacturers such as Japan Automatic Machine, Komax, Schäfer Group and Schleuniger will present the various application possibilities in industry and automotive electronics in Hall A5.
Future Markets Cluster-Monitoring the future
Where is electronics manufacturing headed? The Future Markets exhibition sector in Hall B2 will have answers to this question. The exhibitions will revolve around topics such as Industry 4.0, the smart factory and 3D printing. This cluster will be complemented by IT2Industry, an exhibition that will be integrated into the show. The Open Conference and Trade Fair for Smart and Digitally Networked Workplaces offers solutions for the Industrial Internet of Things in areas such as cloud computing, big data, IT security and M2M communication. After its successful premiere in 2015, IT2Industry is being held jointly with productronica for the second time.
Semiconductors Cluster-Growth in 2017
According to a recent study by Gartner analysts, the industry semiconductors it will grow more than seven percent this year, which equates to approximately $364 billion in volume. According to Gartner, that growth will be primarily in memory chips. productronica collaborates with SEMICON Europe, which creates synergies in this sector. For the first time, SEMICON Europe is being held in conjunction with the world's leading trade fair for electronic development and production and will present the latest developments related to semiconductors, LEDs and MEMS. Visitors only need an admission ticket to attend the productronica, SEMICON Europe and IT2Industry fairs. Your ticket is valid for all events.
Productronica Innovation Award enters the second round
Together with the trade magazine “productronic”, Messe München will also present awards for solutions and products in the categories Cable, Coils & Hybrids, Futures Markets, PCB & EMS, Semiconductors and SMT at this year's fair. There will also be an award in a new Inspection and Quality category. At the award's premiere in 2015, an independent panel of judges presented awards to five winners from more than 70 contestants.