MEMs Matters for Supply Chain

MEMS, or micro-electro-mechanical systems, are miniature devices composed of both mechanical and electrical components that have proven to provide several advantages in managing supply chains. These devices are highly accurate, consume little power, are flexible, and can be used in a variety of supply chain applications. MEMs sensors can track the movement of goods within a supply chain, providing information on their location, status, and condition, which enables supply chain managers to mitigate bottlenecks and delays, as well as locate missing items.

The advanced monitoring capabilities of MEMs sensors can also accurately track environmental conditions, such as heightened temperatures and humidity during transportation and storage. This gives managers the opportunity to take preventative action if the conditions are harmful to the product, which can ultimately ensure the safety of the transported goods.

 

MEMs devices can play an integral role in monitoring inventory space in real-time, which allows supply chain managers to adjust orders in accordance with the available space. Having access to accurate data about the volume of goods and materials in storage allows for improved management and organization, as well as reduced waste.

 

Although MEMs sensors can be expensive at the design stage, they are relatively inexpensive to produce at scale due to their modern microfabrication methods similar to that used for semiconductor manufacturing. The global MEMS market was valued at $76.52 billion in 2021, according to Allied Market Research, and could reach $181 billion by 2031. With falling prices, MEMs devices will become more prevalent alongside IoT devices, as they share key features such as size and power consumption.

 

MEMs sensors can provide several advantages in complex supply chains, such as improved accuracy and efficiency, reduced costs, and real-time data insights. With advancements in various industries, such as automobile, consumer electronics, healthcare, and data storage industries, the demand for MEMs devices is expected to increase, and the standardization in MEMS fabrication is bound to happen in the next few years, leading to further adoption of these devices.