As consumer priorities in recent years began to shift toward lightweight, portable electronic devices, manufacturers were tasked with ways to accommodate such desires. The popularity of tablet computers and ultra-thin laptops gave birth to growing demand for solid state drives (SSDs).
SSDs replace their often noisy and slower counterparts that come with a series of spinning parts. The result: faster boot-up times, quicker and easier access to stored information and fewer moving parts to generate unwanted sound. They also take up less physical real estate within a device, reducing overall product size and weight.
According to a report from iSuppli earlier this year, the number of SSD units shipping in North America in 2012 is expected to reach 45.9 million, up from just 17.3 million units in 2011. That number is expected to double again next year and see continued double-digit growth for several years to come.
In a video for NASA Tech Briefs, John Hull, technical marketing manager for NXP Semiconductors, discusses the importance of sensors and thermal management technologies in today's most popular electronic devices.
As Hull explains, an essential part of the design and manufacturing process for these products is "aggressive thermal management to increase the reliability of the overall system."
Advanced soldering solutions allow the internal architecture of computers, tablets and smartphones to be housed in tight spaces while controlling the generation of heat. Combined with the latest manufacturing methods used to build sensors and bond them to sensor housing, devices that use SSDs will continue to make life more productive for consumers and businesses alike in the coming years.
The products that we see available through companies like Apple, Sony and Microsoft are only possible because of innovative manufacturing technologies that continue to move forward.