Abstract
Offering High-Specification Equipment at Competitive Prices Proves Challenging
Recovering from the worldwide slowdown in the electronics manufacturing and communications
industries, the world non-contact measurement equipment market witnessed steady consolidation in
2004. Growth in this market is closely associated with the increasing trend of miniaturizing
manufactured parts across end-user industries such as electronics manufacturing, automotive, and
other industrial applications. While this has generated the need for measurement equipment with
greater accuracy and tighter tolerance levels, offering these higher-specification machines at cost
competitive prices is a major challenge in the short to long term.
This Frost & Sullivan research service examines the global market for non-contact measurement
equipment. It provides an analysis of different product segments of the market and offers an
indication of demand potential in each of these segments. It further details segmentation based on
end-user applications and provides in-depth revenue forecasts for individual products such as
measuring microscopes, profile projectors, vision measuring machines, and laser micrometers.
Growth of Manufacturing in the Asia Pacific Region Drives Demand
On account of the considerably lower manufacturing costs in Asia Pacific, the region is emerging
as a global hub for manufacturing activities. While countries such as China and India are showing a
healthy demand for most non-contact measurement equipment, the electronics end-user group, in
particular, is likely to have a significant impact on the growth of the Asia Pacific market.
Moreover, with the increasing globalization of end-user groups, it is vital that non-contact
measurement equipment vendors have an international focus and globalize their approach to ensure
sustained growth.
A key trend in the non-contact measurement equipment market is the changing end-user preference
for inline measuring machines over offline systems. This is due to the fact that while using offline
systems, the part being measured has to be taken out of the production line, inspected, and measured
for accuracy before being reinstated into the production line. "The inline systems currently
available are custom designed for specific applications," says the analyst of this research.
"With tighter tolerances and miniaturization of parts, vendors need to offer a generic inline
system capable of working for multiple applications."
"Traceability to Standards" -- A Key Growth Driver
As a result of the growing popularity of outsourcing the manufacturing of certain components, the
finished products need to be tested and measured for accuracy. These measured results must be
traceable to known standards such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and
the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Hence, the type of equipment used and their calibration
becomes very important. Leading automotive, industrial, and aerospace manufacturers are rigorously
enforcing traceability not only among their sub-contractors but also along the supply chain. These
developments in the manufacturing industry are acting as strong propellants of growth in the world
non-contact measurement equipment market.
Fueled by the growth of the electronics, automotive, and medical devices industries where the
need for measuring miniature parts is increasing rapidly, most segments of the non-contact
measurement equipments market are expected to show robust growth. "Technological advancements
and miniaturization of parts in these industries are among the key drivers fostering growth in the
non-contact measurement equipments market, "says the analyst. "Identification and
collaboration with leading end-user industries and aligning the research and development (R&D)
and manufacturing focus to keep pace with technological developments may help ensure success in this
market."
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