Molex, an electronics and connectivity specialist, has released a new report on miniaturisation in product design that highlights the cross-disciplinary engineering design and manufacturing expertise required to integrate increasingly sophisticated features and functionality into constantly shrinking device footprints.
The report, “Mastering Miniaturization, Expert Perspectives,” offers insights on how to navigate top trade-offs when meeting the cost and space requirements of densely packaged electronics amid the increasing demand for lighter, smaller products.
Brian Hauge, SVP and president, consumer & commercial solutions, Molex, said: “Design engineers must ‘think big to go small,’ especially when applying high-speed connectors onto printed circuit boards (PCBs) reliably. Cross-functional expertise in electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing process engineering is needed to deliver microelectronic interconnects that operate at higher speeds without sacrificing long term reliability, while still remaining commercially viable. Molex’s industry leading miniaturisation capabilities are backed by a legacy of delivering the smallest, densest and most advanced connectivity solutions available today.”
As miniaturisation continues to permeate every industry and application category, product designers must balance competing factors, including:
- Power and thermal management
- Signal integrity and integration
- Component and system integration
- Mechanical stress and manufacturability
- Precision, volume manufacturing and costs
The report addresses miniaturisation trends in consumer devices and medical wearables, as well as demand for smaller, lighter electronics and connectors in automotive, data center and industrial applications. Observations from experts across different sectors also shed light on how miniaturisation is impacting factories, data centres, automobiles, medical wearables, smartphones, the evolution of 5G, and more.
