@anadvy I did not realise inflation would have such a huge impact. It is also surprising that the effect of inflation is strong enough to justify the initial investment needed to utilise 1 million robots. As I do not have solid figures to provide on this kind of investment, I cannot provide a comparison on this but I cannot see how it all adds up.
This is a very interesting point of view. While I can see many possibilites from these ideas and innovations, I don't see how it will create jobs. It will bring manufacturing back stateside, but it will limit the amount of workers involved. I guess if we go by volume, even if 1 company produces a few hundred jobs, hundreds of companies should create thousands of jobs. And that is better than no jobs at all.
What impact will these new technologies have on electronics?
@Tam, thanks for the interesting post. I think the new molecular materials will have significant impact on the electronics industry. Advances in nanotechnology and materials science will help us build smaller transistors with low-leakage.
The oher thing I found interesting was why would anyone want to replace a cheap labour force with an army of specialised robots?
@Cryptoman, the reason is Inflation. Inflation in china has gone up substantially and there is nothing called cheap labour force now. Cost of maintaining the labour force is significantly higher than cost of maintaining the robots.
In it's current form, 3D printing is a very interesting process, but is limited by throughput. It appears to be a great technology for prototyping, but probably is not economical for mass production.
I do not really feel these technologies could have any sort of immediate effect to bring the manufacturing back to USA. But I really admire the way wadhwa thinks about all this. Is America manufacturing is really blooming?
@Barbara: Yes, I agree with you. Reasons mentioned, does not have much logical connections of bringing back much of jobs back to USA.
However, there are other catalyst which will bring back many of jobs back to USA. Prime reason is that the whole concept of outsourcing was preposterrous.
I cannot see how all this is related to electronics either. Maybe the plastic toy industry (that specifically designs 15 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm toys) will get a hit in China due to the cheap 3D printers but that's about it.
The oher thing I found interesting was why would anyone want to replace a cheap labour force with an army of specialised robots? This sounds like false economy to me. My guess is the maintenance and running cost of one million robots will probably be much higher than employing one million unskilled workers in China (not to mention the huge one off costs one million robots will bring). When you average all the costs over 10 years, I have a feeling that employing real people will work out to be cheaper in China.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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