Cover Story
Time for a Battle on Electronic Components
Protecting the Last Stronghold
Now or Never for Domestic Electronic Component Industry to Widen the Gap
The domestic electronic component industry, which until now enjoyed high competitiveness, is at a crossroads. As prices for electronics devices continue to fall and overseas component makers gain prominence, leading domestic manufacturers such as Murata Manufacturing and TDK have seen profitability decline across the board. An analysis of the causes reveals a pattern similar to that of DRAM and liquid crystal panels in the past.The ability of domestic electronic component makers to rethink their strategies based on past lessons and maintain their power is coming into question.
Ceramic Capacitors
No Longer a Safe Zone; Aggressive Investment Seeks Low Prices
Multilayer ceramic capacitor manufacturers, once called the “treasure of the Japanese economy,” are being shaken.Overseas powerhouses, including Samsung, have pushed their way up using mass production technology capabilities.The true strength of Japanese manufacturers will start to be questioned.
Liquid Crystal Devices
Taiwanese Manufacturers are Capturing Market Share, Surviving by Cutting Costs
In the liquid crystal device segment, Taiwan-based TXC has gained power through low-price sales. Japanese manufacturers, which enjoyed overwhelming strength in the mobile phone LCD market, can no longer sit by idly.
Power Supply Modules
Energies Focused on Flat-Panel TVs and Industrial Applications, Use Technology to Compete Against Overseas Companies
Taiwanese manufacturers continue to make inroads into external salesof power supply modules. There is now a considerable risk that they will take the market for flat-panel TV power supplies, long a cash cow for Japanese manufacturers who are now adopting new strategies for survival.
Special Feature
CEATEC JAPAN 2008: How Manufacturers Are Searching for New Paths to Take
Flat-panel and PDP TVs now compete on thinness, and Blu-ray has become the uniform standard for next-generation optical discs. Looking back over the past year, the devices that play major roles in the electrical machinery industry have reached a turning point.Further progress is needed in the consumer electronics industry, where competition is fierce and products soon become obsolete.The situation is similar for mobile phone handsets.Demand from mature, saturated markets cannot be expanded simply by adding more functions. Moreover, amidst strong calls for reductions in CO2 emissions, electrical machinery manufacturers must adopt advanced environmental technologies.A look at this year’s CEATEC exhibition reveals which manufacturers are addressing these issues.
Lead Elimination Is Not the End: Global Warming to Impact Solders
The electronics industry has used the RoHS Directive as an opportunity to implement countermeasures dealing with hazardous substances. The most difficult issue has been eliminating lead from solder. Through many years of trial and error the industry has succeeded in eliminating lead, but these efforts represent the clearing of just a single hurdle. When seen from the broad perspective of comprehensive environmental countermeasures, the next hurdle—responding to the increase in energy consumption as a result of the elimination of lead, that is, addressing global warming—is already upon the industry.
Guest Paper
Practical Methods for Incorporating Quality in Design
The attributes that define the quality of software are a key requirement in software development. It is not easy, however, to gather quality attribute information and use it in actual designs. In particular, it can be difficult to reach a mutual understanding with the stakeholders that hold the keys to determining specifications, develop quality attributes, and incorporate the derived requirements into existing analytical and design methods. This paper discusses quality attribute scenarios that define quality attributes with an awareness of operational aspects and attribute-driven design (ADD) that uses those scenarios to create software architectures.
Documentary
Development of Softbank Mobile “922SH” (Part 2)
Tutorial
Device Development Being Accelerated by Electromagnetic-Environment Reproduction System(First Half)
Reflections and Interference Cause Deterioration of Signals, Repeated On-Site Testing Raises Costs
Testing under actual radio environments is essential for developing radio signal receivers. Each time the design is changed, however, on-site testing must be performed, which increases the time required and cost. In response, the use of radio wave recording and playback systems is increasing.This article explores impediments to communications and the construction of systems for recording and replaying them.
ICs Becoming Three-Dimensional─No Slow-Down in Progress toward
Higher Integration Level: Focus on Commercialization of Through-Silicon Vias
The adoption of finer IC design rules is losing momentum as leak current increases and mask costs rise.Even so, calls for higher integration of ICs are rising. The result has been three-dimensional layering of chips in packages, and technologies that increase integration without relying solely on finer patterns are moving into the limelight.
Academy
Session 9: Sensors and Switches for Acquiring External Information
Keyword
Self-jamming
Key Person
KeioUniversity Professor Tadao Nakamura: “The Best Part of My Life as a Researcher Is Yet to Come”
NE Interview
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. President Tsuneo Murata: “We Will Not Yield Our Leading Position to Overseas Competitors”
World Seport
From Korea: iPhone 3G Shakes Up the Country’s Isolation Policy on Cellphones
News
- HDMI Standards for Mobile Devices Nearing Finalization
- Nintendo Introduces Follow-on to DS, Allowing Users to Carry Favorite Game Titles with Them
- HDD Industry Being Reorganized around Fujitsu
- Fixstars Develops H.264 Real-time Encoder for the Cell Broadband Engine
- As Part of Tightening Regulations for IT Products, Will China Demand Source Code Disclosure?
