Apr 27, 2022 | Electronics, News, Plastics Machining, Prototyping, Technology
2022 and Beyond – Plastics Machining for High Technology Manufacturers
2022 has already been one of the most volatile years in recent history, for many markets, but especially for the high-technology sector. Plastics machining for high technology companies has always been an important part of design and manufacturing, and continues to be crucial to the success of many high-technology companies. While many high-tech companies are struggling to get important resources from overseas, as a result of the 2020-2022 pandemic shortages, many American high-technology companies have turned to local partners for their plastics machined parts, trusting them to help them in these difficult times. And many companies have also begun “reshoring” their own manufacturing plants and facilities to bring back some manufacturing to the US, and create new jobs and opportunities for local US economies. This will continue to be the trend for many of these companies for some time in the future, as they continue to struggle to obtain materials overseas and other key components that are not available immediately. So technology companies that embrace US based manufacturing partners, or begin reshoring some of their facilities and manufacturing may stand to see best results in the upcoming years.
Computers and Mobile technology
Companies like Apple based in Cupertino, California had already started reshoring some of their manufacturing and assembling to the US in 2019 when it began manufacturing their top of the line Mac Pro computer. And many more are embracing the reshoring trend, and seeing the necessity of it in order to be able to produce their products more reliably. It is becoming more challenging for them to obtain all of the parts, plastics, and other materials for their iPhones and iPads overseas. Many companies like Apple are experiencing longer lead times and much higher costs overseas for their products, including plastics machined components. The difficulty for Apple, however, has been finding skilled electronics labor in Texas, where people simply do not have the same skills as can easily be found in computer manufacturing towns in China and Thailand.
Fiber optics cables, Telecommunication manufacturing
As many tech companies struggle with delivery issues due to shipment delays caused by the lack of overseas suppliers, fiber optic cabling has become a hot commodity as they are needed to send large amounts of data at high speeds across oceans. Some companies have created new businesses in Mexico, and Texas to be able to manufacture their own materials, and provide speedy solutions to the ever growing mobile and telecommunications markets. Technologies like 3d printing, and plastics machining for prototyping new products has helped these companies thrive and produce their materials quicker to bring them to market to meet demand faster.
Automobile manufacturing and automobile electronics parts
If any sector of manufacturing relied heavily upon plastics machining for technology it is the Auto manufacturing industry. With more and more auto companies now creating electric vehicles, and trying to capture the ever growing green-conscious market, more and more electronic components rely on plastics machining as these vehicles become literally – “rolling people-moving computers” as one industry pundit put it. The amount of electronic components that go into the electronic energy system controls, navigation and crash-control systems, and other “smart devices” is astounding. This will continue to keep plastic parts machining an important piece of the puzzle for creating growth and success for automobile manufacturing companies for decades to come. Those electronic vehicle companies that are able to innovate, and produce their smart cars (and maybe even flying cars?) quickly and efficiently, are going to prosper, and help drive down costs so that these machines of the future are as prevalent as the mobile phones we all carry in our pocket today.
Health and healthcare technology products
As the healthcare industry in the US (and the world) has innovated new products and medicine, the need for plastics machining companies to manufacture these parts has increased remarkably. With new surgical techniques, implants, and other medical technologies, plastics machining companies have been challenged with keeping up with the innovations in this sector. Robotics plays a huge role in these healthcare technology advancements, and it’s estimated that there will be 3.7 million robotic surgical procedures in 2022! The machines that will be performing these amazing operations, and their manufacturers will certainly be relying heavily upon plastics machining for many parts and components crucial to their ability to perform these lifesaving and life-changing interventions.
Companies like Medtronics and GE were early adopters of many of these futuristic technologies and currently lead the way. They’ve helped create a market for large-scale manufacturing of these parts. As increasingly healthcare becomes an industry focused on digitizing healthcare solutions for better patient care and outcomes, healthcare machinery and healthcare electronics technology becomes an increasingly important market for innovations in plastics machining as well.
JMJ Profile is proud to have produced millions of high quality precision machined plastic parts for the healthcare markets, automobile manufacturers, and electronics components manufacturers and can handle projects of all sizes from small quick prototype runs, to millions of parts for ongoing supply, and warehousing of parts for our customers. We invite you to contact us to learn more.
