Smart wearables to drive automation in China's electronics manufacturing

The mainland's electronics manufacturing sector could soon take a big leap forward into automation and robotic assembly as more stringent processes are needed for making a range of complex "wearable" computing devices.

Experts said greater precision was needed to make wearables because the products used more miniaturised components than smartphones or media tablets.

"We have to put more automation and technology in the manufacturing process for wearables because the human hand has a difficult time handling these devices," said Mike Dennison, the president of Singapore-based Flextronics' consumer technologies group. "We are now seeing lots of investments in new equipment and technology."

A Macquarie research note last month said the mainland's rising electronics manufacturing, semiconductor, power and high-precision instrument industries would surpass carmakers as the fastest-growing users of industrial robots. It also said the gradual increase in labour costs would drive up demand for automation, which augured well for industrial robot suppliers.

Flextronics, the world's second-biggest contract electronics manufacturer, expects to build a US$1 billion a year business in wearables. It has signed up about 25 clients over the past three years, including major global brands and mainland start-ups, helped in large measure by the automated assembly process at its industrial park in Zhuhai.

David Johnson, Flextronics' vice-president for product industrialisation, said: "We work differently on wearables than other devices because these are more intricate products, which we help design, prototype and gear up for mass manufacturing."