Recently, IC Insights pointed out in the latest report that after two years of strong growth, the sensor and actuator market has gradually cooled down due to declining inventory, reduced unit shipments and economic uncertainty.

After experiencing double-digit percentage growth in 2017 and 2016, in 2018, sales of semiconductor sensors and actuators were limited due to adjustments in inventory, smartphone shipments and reductions in purchase orders, 2018 sensors and actuators Sales reached a new high of $14.7 billion, but only increased by 6%.

The downward trend in sensor and actuator growth continued into the first quarter of this year, with global sales increasing by only 2% compared to the same period last year, but the semiconductor market is expected to return to strong momentum in the next six months. IC Insights predicts that sensor and actuator sales will grow by 5% in 2019, reaching a record high of $15.4 billion.

According to the IC Insights report, global sales of sensors and actuators are likely to slow to 3% in 2020 due to the weak global economy. It will gradually resume its growth momentum between 2021 and 2023, and is expected to reach $21.1 billion in 2023.

IC Insights expects global sales of sensors and actuators to grow by about 5% in 2019, reaching $9.6 billion and $5.8 billion, respectively. The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization places non-optical sensors and actuators in the same market category because these devices are all converters that convert one form of energy into another. (Image and light sensors are part of the WSTS optoelectronics market category and are not included in the sensor/actuator category.)

It is understood that about 83% of the sales of sensors and actuators ($12.2 billion) in 2018 came from the adoption of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). MEMS are used in pressure sensors (including microphone chips), accelerometers, gyroscope devices, and almost all actuators. According to IC Insights, sales of MEMS-based sensors and actuators increased by 6% in 2018, by 18% in 2017 and by 15% in 2016. Sales of MEMS-based sensors/actuators are expected to increase by about 5% in 2019 to a record $12.8 billion, and by 2020 only 3% due to economic weakness.