Electrically powered vehicles
Market characteristics
The characteristics of the automotive market is well defined by implementation of eMobility, Autonomous vehicles and Electrically powered vehicles (EVs). Sustainability has been highlighted by the OEMs and pushed down in the supply chain. Any product or manufacturing process that can contribute to reduction of the CO2 is considered in procurement management.
The demand for enhanced safety and comfort in the vehicles push for more and less space-consuming electronics in the vehicle. The sourcing of battery and battery system is a bottle neck for the booming EV market where new technologies are screened to increase capacity, reduce the battery weight and cost. Intensive research and development program are essential to be successful in the market shift. The ever-expected cost reduction in the industry leaves the sourcing alternative of PCB to the chemical etched PCB supplier in Asia pacific region with the consciousness of environmental hazardous disposals from the manufacturing plants.
Customer Scenario
Customer problem
The customer holds multiple global production sites for manufacturing of cables and connectors for their application and systems aimed for the automotive industry. The cable manufacturing is integrated in the production line and the customer is used to have in-house sourcing control of their components.
Present manufacturing of connectors includes manufacturing of cables, connector house and assembly of the product. The size and cost of the connector and bus needs to be reduced. The customer has developed an FPC (flexible printed circuit). Cables are replaced by FPC (flexible printed circuit) but the customer has to leave the in-house manufacturing strategy and IP protected operation to source their FPC from external vendor. The vendor dependency and lack of manufacturing control is affecting the capability to be flexible, cost competitive and market compliant towards the sustainability aspects.
DP Patterning solution
DP Patterning offer the application or system supplier a strategic change of sourcing FPC and replace the manufacturing of cable with in-house production of FPC. The change implies integration of FPC manufacturing to the existing production line including assembly activities of connectors. The manufacturing shift is about reducing the cost and maintain control of logistics, IP and sourcing.
The solution is clean and efficient, especially when the DPP process allow integration to the electronic assembly operation (SMT) without further investment in facilities.
High speed process automation and rapid tool change secure efficiency even for small batches or prototyping. The one material-in and one product-out operation ease the logistic planning and assure the delivery capacity.
Low energy powered operation and reducing the transport with less logistic complexity contribute the solution to reduce the footprint of CO2. The manufacturing disposal of metal chips can be sold for recycling when the metal has a value.
The customer will meet the increasing requirement for sustainable sourcing in combination with unique technology that can meet the future cost reduction demand and manufacturing flexibility.