Cost Reduction in Manufacturing Microwave Components

With the rapid infusion of solid state microwave components in both commercial and military systems, cost reduction in component manufacturing has beccme key to affordability. Some specific areas that have had a significant impact on reducing overall component cost are: 1) device cost: 2) piece count, 3) assembly cost and 4) package cost. In the areas of device cost and piece count, the advent of manufacturable Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMIC's) are having a dramatic effect. In the areas of assembly and packaging, automation has been the prime cost reducing factor.