Scaling defence electronics manufacturing without compromising quality
ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS NO MARGIN FOR ERROR
DESOUTTER
Scaling defence electronics manufacturing without compromising quality
Electronics has turned defence assembly into a one-way process. Once sealed, there is no practical route back. Manufacturers can’ t keep up with demand, so they push throughput higher. At the same time, the rising density of electronic systems shifts risk into assembly, where defects are harder and more costly to rectify. Here, Howard Green, Senior Account Manager at industrial tools manufacturer Desoutter, explains why execution control is becoming critical to defence electronics manufacturing.
Defence systems are increasingly defined by embedded electronics across guidance, radar, communications, navigation and electronic warfare. As electronics account for a growing share of system value, production risk is shifting into assembly. According to the Global Electronics Association, electronics“ account for 17 per cent of defence equipment value, up from ten per cent in 2000, and are projected to reach 25 per cent by 2035- 2040”. As this share increases, the nature of production risk moves with it.
The electronic constraint
Deviations are now far more likely to become faults buried within dense electronic assemblies. Incomplete connector engagement, fastening variation or contamination within PCB stacks can remain undetected until failure in service. As assemblies become more compact, the opportunity to correct these defects narrows. In missile, drone and radar systems, stacked PCB architectures can make rework impractical once
Howard Green, Senior Account Manager at Desoutter
Defence systems are increasingly defined by embedded electronics across guidance, radar, communications, navigation and electronic warfare.
integration progresses, shifting the emphasis from correction to prevention.
This constraint is amplified by the operating environment. Defence electronics may need to operate from-50 ° C to + 130 ° C while withstanding vibration, shock, moisture and long shelf life. To achieve this, assemblies are often sealed or encapsulated( potted) in later production stages. Once this is complete however, internal access is lost and defects can no longer be corrected. In systems stored for years before use or activation, failure therefore results in scrapping rather than repair.
High-density PCB stacks and compact modules are often inaccessible even before encapsulation, limiting verification and sometimes requiring destructive testing later in production. As a result, quality can no longer be solely reliant on final inspection and must be embedded directly into the assembly process.
Converging production pressures
Defence electronics manufacturing is also affected by supply chain volatility. Many defence platforms now depend on commercial offthe-shelf electronic components, creating continuous redesign pressure as parts become obsolete or unavailable during production lifecycles. The result is constant variation within production environments that still demand precision. Unless controlled directly within assembly, regular component substitutions and availability changes increase inconsistency on the production line.
At the same time, waste sensitivity is increasing. Defence rated components are high value, longlead items, and replacements are not always straightforward. Under these conditions, a single assembly defect may mean losing components that are difficult or slow to replace. As a result, manufacturing performance is increasingly measured through first pass yield rather than downstream correction capability.
44 PECM Issue 81