Increased demand in medical and automotive verticals is spurring the sales of surface mount technology (SMT) soldering equipment. Complicated design architecture and electronic components with smaller footprints require complex soldering techniques, opening up a plethora of opportunities for new soldering equipment with advanced features.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Global SMT Soldering Equipment Markets, finds that the market earned revenues of US$ 411.4 million in 2011 and estimates this to reach US$ 634.0 million in 2017.
Meanwhile, the ‘green’ trend is creating a large market for products such as energy-efficient lighting ballasts and wind power. These technologies, in turn, are giving an advantage to the mature SMT soldering equipment market.
“Mixed technology assemblies that include surface mount devices (SMDs) and through-hole devices are driving sales of wave soldering equipment,” said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Nupur Sinha. “Odd-form components, such as connectors and transformers, make wave soldering equipment a viable solution because both reflow and wave equipment are required for some lines.”
