Electronic Products & Technology

electronica round-up: ‘Connectedness’ makes an impact

Stephen Law   

Automation / Robotics Electronics Engineering IoT Supply Chain smart technologies

In keeping with the motto ‘Connected Worlds—Safe and Secure,’ electronica, the largest electronics trade fair in the world, was held last week in Munich Germany. The event featured 2,913 companies from more than 50 countries, exhibiting their solutions before approximately 73,000 industry professionals attending the four day show.

Approximately 73,000 visitors from 88 countries attended electronica 2016.

Approximately 73,000 visitors from 88 countries attended electronica 2016.

“This year’s electronica did an impressive job of demonstrating how the various aspects of our lives will network with one another in the future and redefine our everyday lives,” says Falk Senger, managing director at Messe München.

Kurt Sievers, chairman of electronica’s technical advisory board, European vice-president and general manager automotive, NXP Semiconductors, added: “Smart technologies and applications make it vital for new security solutions to keep up with this development. Security by design is an important guiding principle for the industry.”

“It will play a key role in the future,” explains Christoph Stoppok, managing director of the Electronic Components and Systems Division and the pcb and Electronic Systems Division of the ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association). “The only way to instill trust in consumers and successfully sell smart devices is to make high-tech products and their components secure.”

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Facts and figures about the fair

Besides Germany, the countries with the largest number of visitors were Italy, Austria, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, France, Switzerland, USA, Israel, the Russian Federation, Poland and Slovenia, in that order. There was a significant increase in the number of visitors from France, China, Slovenia, Turkey and Israel.

The number of exhibitors increased by 7% over the 2014 exhibition, continuing a trend during the last few years.

“More and more companies present components in the context of applications,” explains Senger. Besides Germany, the countries with the largest contingents of exhibitors were China, Taiwan, the USA and Great Britain (in that order).

Automotive electronics continues to make headway

“Today, 80 percent of innovations in the automobile are being driven by microelectronics and software,” says Falk Senger, the managing director at Messe München. From new assistance systems to sensors and LEDs—automotive electronics continues to increase its presence at electronica. One-third of all exhibitors presented solutions for this sector. The day before the fair started, the electronica Automotive Conference, in which 228 visitors from more than 20 countries participated, was an important prelude to this topic. A total of 228 visitors from 20 countries participated in the conference, a considerable increase over 2014.

Strong related events and conference program

In keeping with the motto ‘Connected Worlds—Safe and Sound’, key figures from the semiconductor industry, OEMS and the scientific sector got warmed up at the CEO Roundtable on the first day of the fair. This year’s discussion showed that security is important, but also highly complex. However, it can only be achieved in close collaboration with the IT industry. The Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber security were also key themes of the Embedded Platforms Conference, which also saw an increase in attendance with a total of 218 participants. IT2Industry, the International Trade Fair and Open Conference for Intelligent, Digitally Networked Working Environments, was also a success. It allowed visitors to gather information about topics such as Industrial Software & Systems, Industrial IT Security, Big Data & Cloud, Smart Factory, M2M Communication and Embedded Systems.

Good start for electronica Fast Forward

For the first time ever, electronica featured a new platform that revolves around aspiring founders and start-ups. For four days, 35 participants from around the world competed for the electronica Fast Forward Award in the categories ‘Idea,’ ‘Prototype’ and ‘Start-up.’ They demonstrated the enormous innovative strength and dynamics that lie in electronics and gave the industry important momentum with their ideas. Their efforts were rewarded with the electronica Fast Forward Award.

The next electronica takes place in Munich from November 13–16, 2018.

 

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