Local Development and Manufacturing Capabilities for Complex Electronics

The paper presents the view of a major manufacturer of Automotive electricals and electronics.

It shows this industry as part of the Australian environment, how it fits into the global automotive scene and points out where our challenges lie. The capabilities of the industry in the R&D field as well as the application Engineering areas are explained.

On the manufacturing side, an overview of the state of the art of producing electronic control modules is provided. The approaches and equipment selected in Australia, as governed by manufacturing volumes and economics, are described.

An important aspect is the link between the highly sophisticated manufacturing processes and equipment on one hand and quality assurance and reliability on the other.

The paper closes with an outlook towards future electronic systems expected to be used in Australia.