Already 51% of all smartphones are manufactured with LDS – that’s what a new infographic  (version: 12/2012) says about the current proliferation of LDS technology in the various markets. In smartphone telephony, LDS is especially used with antennas.
 
The manufacturers’ reasons for preferring to use it are its very precise application of strip conductors, reduced weight and space it saves. LDS thus also decisively opens up more possibilities in miniaturization – because in the development of devices ever more functions are having to be accommodated in ever less space. Another advantage is in the direct transmission of the layout data via CAD and laser to the component. In this way, customized design changes can be made on the computer on short notice, without additional design tools – this shortens design cycles and reduces costs.

Altogether, 323 million components were manufactured with LDS technology in 2012. Of those, 165 million components (51%) were allotted to smartphones and 55 million to the automotive sector (8%), industry (5%) and medicine (4%). An example of an application for industry is the RFID transponder; in medicine, LDS technology is used in the manufacture of hearing aids. Other markets that are increasingly profiting from LDS include safety engineering, the military and LED lighting.