The global semiconductor shortage has been caused by a number of factors, including strong demand from the automotive and consumer electronics industries, limited production capacity, and disruptions to the global supply chain. The situation has been further exacerbated by the US-China trade war, which has led to tariffs on Chinese imports and a decline in Chinese demand for US goods.
The shortage has led to increased prices for a variety of electronic goods, from computers and smartphones to gaming consoles and TVs. Many companies have had to ration supplies or delay shipments of products due to the high cost of chips. The situation is not expected to improve anytime soon, as chipmakers are struggling to increase production capacity fast enough to meet the booming demand.
It’s unclear how long the shortage will last, but it’s likely that the effects will be felt for some time to come. In the meantime, electronics manufacturing companies and consumers alike will have to grapple with the higher prices and slower delivery times for electronic goods.
Keep scrolling to learn the reasons why there is a microchip shortage
1) Increased demand from the automotive and consumer electronics industries
The increase in demand for semiconductors from the transportation and consumer electronics industries has been a significant driver of the shortage. Automakers have been increasingly using chips in cars for various applications, such as infotainment systems, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and unmanded vehicles. The consumer electronics industry has also been booming, with strong demand for devices such as smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles.
2) Limited production capacity
The semiconductor industry faces a capacity crunch, as chipmakers have been unable to keep up with the booming demand. It has led to a bottleneck in the supply chain, as there are not enough chips to meet the needs of all the industries that use them. The problem has been exacerbated by the US-China trade war, as tariffs have made it more difficult for Chinese companies to buy chips from US suppliers.
3) Disruptions to the global supply chain
Disruptions to the global supply chain have also caused the semiconductor shortage. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruptions in manufacturing and the movement of goods worldwide. It has made it difficult for chipmakers to get the raw materials and components they need to produce semiconductors. In addition, the trade war between the US and China has led to tariffs on Chinese imports, which has further disrupted the supply chain.
4) The US-China trade war
The US-China trade war has been a significant factor in the semiconductor shortage. The tariffs that have been imposed on Chinese imports have made it more difficult for Chinese companies to buy chips from US suppliers. In addition, the decline in Chinese demand for US goods has led to a decrease in orders for US chipmakers. It has contributed to the capacity crunch that the semiconductor industry is currently facing.
So what can be done about the shortage?
Some things could be done to ease the semiconductor shortage. One option is for the US government to provide financial incentives for chipmakers to increase production capacity. Another option is for companies to shift their production to countries outside of China, where the tariffs are not as much of a factor.
ACDi has 3 manufacturing plants offering 89,000 square feet of manufacturing space. All 3 plants are fully equipped with ample manufacturing floor space and equipment, dedicated stock room space for common and segregated component storage, manufacturing job setup/staging space, flex space for capacity expansion, final assembly, test, and inspection space, finished goods stocking and shipping and receiving.
Our sites are strategically located within 5 hours of each other, allowing us the flexibility for capacity sharing or quick recovery in the event of a disaster. For more information on ACDi’s disaster recovery plan, please contact us.
Headquarters, Frederick
Our 35,000 sq. ft. MD plant serves as our low-medium volume, high-mix & NPI site. We have a strong manufacturing, test and process engineering staff based at this site to assure all prototypes move smoothly into production. For mid-high volume programs, production ramp up is performed from our NPI site and then moved to our production facility in NC once all manufacturing process and documentation is finalized.
We offer custom functional test development services including fixture design/builds, and our on-site flying probe equipment serves as the perfect complement to low-volume testing needs, offering a fixtureless testing option. All engineering and design support services are performed from this location. ACDi also offers quick-turn prototyping services from this facility.
Due to our strategic location right outside of Washington, D.C. most of our government/defense/security focused programs are supported from this facility.
Manufacturing Plant, Nashville, NC
Our 47,000 sq. ft. NC site offers similar core competencies as our MD site with a focus on mid-high volume programs. In addition to SMT and board-level services this site offers extensive chassis, cabling and harness level assembly capabilities, including custom, high-end cable design and builds. We have two in-house bed-of-nails ICT testers to support all program ICT needs. Our program management, test engineering and manufacturing engineering teams work closely with their counterparts at our MD site to manage program ramps ups and transitions. NC supports all our mid-high volume production program needs, including any aggressive delivery requirements to meet critical customer schedules.
In addition to commercial/industrial programs, we support several medical and nuclear-restricted programs from this location.
Manufacturing Facility, Branford, CT
Our Branford facility has two SMT lines and allows us to:
- expand geographical footprint
- increase manufacturing capacity
- complement service and product offerings