MEMS – or microelectromechanical systems – can provide several advantages in managing a supply chain. They are small, consume little power, are flexible, and can be used in a variety of supply chain applications.
Ed McCormick
MEMs are miniature devices composed of both mechanical and electrical components. These devices are capable of sensing, controlling, and actuating on a micro-scale. The size of MEMs devices can range from micrometers to millimeters and are used for a variety of applications including microphones, gyroscopes, accelerometers, humidity sensors and power harvesting.
MEMS sensors’ advantages in the supply chain fall into two main categories: accuracy and cost reduction.
Improved accuracy and efficiency
MEMs sensors are highly accurate and when paired with complimentary electronics they can track the movement of goods within a supply chain, providing information on their location, status, and condition. The unparalleled power efficiency and value of these devices allow for small power harvesting sensors to be embedded within an increasing number of shipments.
These devices offer visibility to supply chain managers which in turn enables them to mitigate bottlenecks and delays as well as help locate missing items.
MEMs sensors can also accurately track environmental conditions, when compared with their traditional counterparts, while consuming less power. Advanced monitoring of conditions such as heightened temperatures and humidity during transportation and storage gives managers the opportunity to take preventative action if the conditions are harmful to the product.
Without tracking and monitoring capabilities, transported goods are susceptible to a wide range of obstacles and challenges that can delay their arrival, or worse, damage them irreparably.
MEMs timing circuits are more vibration tolerant than their quartz-based counterparts, so they can be embedded alongside manufacturing processes that would normally damage electronics. The durability and stability of MEMs devices under a variety of environmental conditions also lend themselves to accompanying products in a hostile environment to ensure accuracy and compliance with the manufacturing process.
MEMS data is generated in real time and is easily accessible to supply chain managers. Supply chain managers can make informed decisions quickly and at a low cost.
Reduced costs
Inventory management is another area where MEMs devices can provide useful data insights. 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. The ability of MEMs sensors to play an integral role in monitoring inventory space in real-time allows supply chain managers to adjust orders in accordance with the available space.
Falling prices are making MEMs devices increasingly accessible for the mass production of products that integrate these technologies. With a wide range of versatile and power-efficient systems available, MEMs devices will become more prevalent alongside IoT devices, as they share key features, such as size and power consumption.
While 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 standardization in MEMS fabrication is less advanced than it is for conventional semiconductor processes and model environments, according to Mordor Intelligence, but a standard procedure is bound to happen in the next few years. This will further drive the adoption of MEMS.
The global MEMS market was valued at $76.52 billion in 2021, according to Allied Market Research, and could reach $181 billion by 2031. Advancements in the automobile, consumer electronics industries, healthcare and data storage industries are driving additional demand. The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), big data, and digitalization have also increased the quantities of data, leading to demand for more efficient processing technologies.
