The next generation of supply chains is expected to look a lot different than what we’re used to. It will expand significantly, with a potential market of $125 billion by 2030. Rather than being driven by raw expansion though, this is expected to come about as a result of intelligent innovation. New software, robotics and automation, better tracing of goods, and even self-driving vehicles are all expected to contribute, ultimately making supply chains more reliable, quicker, and more sustainable.
As we consider these possible changes and anticipate innovation — much of which we’re already beginning to see — the focus tends to be on the big picture. We imagine fleets of intelligent vehicles, packages and goods that can communicate on their own behalves, and production and shipping facilities managed autonomously.
These are all real changes that will comprise the next-gen supply chain together. But beneath them all, we’ll have advances in some of our smallest electrical hardware to thank for so much positive change. Improved PCBs — printed circuit boards — are the components that make so much of what we’re beginning to see in supply chains possible.
The improvements we’ve seen in PCBs begin with software that enhances design efficiency. While complex PCB engineering is not new, modern software makes it easier than ever before for people working in this field to test out complex schematics and hierarchies, try new design concepts, and ultimately produce innovative circuit boards.
What specifically these innovative boards are capable of varies. Each PCB is designed to fulfill specific purposes, and not all advanced technologies have the same demands. By and large though, advanced PCBs are better able to fit powerful and complex designs into smaller or more flexible spaces. A small or flexible board, or one made with more durable material can perform more quickly and powerfully than a clunkier counterpart just a few years ago. Additionally — and crucially regarding the topic of supply chains — modern PCBs are also better able to help devices establish wireless connectivity.
So, how do these changes in PCB design and construction drive our progress toward next-gen supply chains?
Perhaps the biggest answer is that they help with automation. The role of AI and automation in printing and packaging, in equipment upkeep, in device tracking and even in transportation is enormous. In many ways, in fact, this topic is the next-gen supply chain. And while successful implementation of AI and automation across supply chains relies on countless technological innovations, efficient and powerful PCBs are essentially the electrical networks at the core of it all. AI and automation in supply chains can’t function without countless sensors and devices communication with each other, quickly and without interruption. And those sensors and devices are able to perform as they do because of the PCBs within them.
Considering this same idea more broadly, PCBs are also relevant with regard to the expected impact of 5G networks on advancing supply chains. These networks are expected to result in streamlined logistics, smarter inventory management, quicker and smarter fleets, and more. Here too tough, most of these changes will be made possible in part because of wireless-capable PCBs built into new sensor and tracking technologies.
This aspect of supply chain advancement doesn’t generate much conversation, because it’s not something we see or interact with. This is understandable, and unlikely to change. But as we watch the next-gen supply chain continue to develop, it will continue to be improvements in PCBs enabling some of the most exciting and impactful changes.
