Blog

March 25,2019,Philippines—Today’s global manufacturing industry has been enabling various technological changes that are unprecedented in its pace, scope, and impact. Just two decades ago, not a single person owned a touch screen mobile phone. However, nowadays, we see the majority of people’s faces now lit by smartphones that get updates twice a year. Moreover, computers did not even exist until a few more decades back, but now they are almost close to replacing not only books but even televisions.

As a result, EMS providers are working hard to keep up with the latest trends in the industry in order to stay relevant in the competitive marketplace. With that in mind, here are the top three trends that will dominate the EMS industry in 2019!

#1 Increased leverage on IoT

Although Big Data was officially launched by O’Reilly Media in 2005, its concept and use have been around for much longer. By providing real-time streams of information, Big Data is extremely beneficial in managing or resolving critical global issues, discovering scientific breakthroughs, and improving decision-making. It also helps the EMS industry in coming up with product design and development solutions fitting to the fast-changing global manufacturing industry.

To maximize its benefits, the EMS industry is increasingly leveraging the Internet of Things or IoT. IoT is the concept of extending internet connectivity beyond conventional computing platforms to non-internet-enabled objects including animals and humans, which allows more effective monitoring of the natural world.

With these two technologies combined, EMS providers are given a better understanding of their business and can therefore increase efficiency, improve safety, reduce cost in production, and address issues before it even rises. Moreover, EMS providers are also able to monitor development indicators to assess progress towards their goals better.

#2 Shifting focus from B2B to B2B2C

Although global manufacturing products and services have great effects on the lives of consumers, and even society in general, the key competence of EMS providers is manufacturing and any consumer-oriented efforts were usually left to retail partners. However, the hyper-competitive market of today is calling EMS providers to shift their focus from B2B (business-to-business) to B2B2C (business-to-business-to-consumer.)

By switching to this business model, EMS providers have the opportunity to get better insight into their market as well as have accurate demand predictions that can then help them create, manufacture, and offer what their consumer base actually wants. B2B2C is also attractive to EMS providers since it allows a faster time to market by skipping the locked-down product development phase of retail cycle far ahead of order and delivery, as well as offers the possibility of increased profits by having rights to reinforce the full MSRP or manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

#3 Making the most out of AR and VR

EMS providers are not only using new technologies to manufacture products but are also used to create more new technologies and incorporate them to into existing manufacturing procedures. AME engineering now has started to take advantage of assistive technologies such as AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) to help in production.

Through devices like googles or cameras, AR adds digital elements to a live view while VR provides complete immersion experience of another world by shutting out the physical world. These two technologies allow AME engineers or product developers to experience a product during the design phase and make modifications before proceeding to manufacturing. Additionally, they can also show workers how to perform a task, and use data feed to guide and correct mistakes. Along with helping the workers finish their tasks properly, using such technology also give them effective training for high-value work.

The only way EMS providers can stay ahead of the competition in the ever-fierce global manufacturing industry is to adapt to the latest trends and incorporate it into their system. Always be on the lookout for new changes in the EMS industry and make sure to embrace it!