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Infrared thermometers, which are essential supplies and effective tools for epidemic prevention, form the first line of defense in the control of the NCP outbreak. Their ability to detect body temperatures from a distance, in an automated manner, across large areas, and with high efficiency is unmatched by traditional tools such as regular thermometers, ear thermometers, and handheld infrared thermometers. In important transportation hubs like stations, airports, subways, and ports, more advanced infrared thermometers are necessary for rapid temperature screening. These devices allow for monitoring from a distance, enable the simultaneous measurement of multiple people’s temperatures in seconds, and provide real-time alerts for high temperatures. This reduces contact between staff and passengers, helps prevent cross-infection, and does not delay passengers’ travel times. According to statistics from the **Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, there is currently a shortage of about 60,000 infrared thermometers in the market, and around 550,000 handheld infrared thermometers. During this NCP outbreak, how severe is the shortage of infrared thermometers? Supply chain supply during the epidemic prevention period? A gap in the infrared core chip? All these questions are worth considering. I. There is a surge in demand for infrared thermometers, prompting manufacturers in this sector to work overtime; yet supply remains insufficient. Due to the sharp increase in demand and the impact of the pandemic, infrared thermometers have been listed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as key materials for pandemic control. The ministry has taken action to mobilize relevant enterprises, coordinate distribution channels, and urge suppliers of related components to resume production as soon as possible. First tier: Companies in the infrared industry that possess core technologies and are capable of producing their own key components: Goertek Infrared (Goertek Smart Sensing), Arirang Optoelectronics (RuiChuang MicroNano), and Dali Technology. All three companies have been included by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in the unified system for managing pandemic-related supplies, and are not allowed to sell or ship them on their own. On February 5, it was reported that Goode Infrared announced that, due to the role played by its fully automatic infrared temperature detection and alarm system in epidemic prevention efforts, the company had been included in the \"List of Enterprises Requiring Support from the People’s Bank of China for the Allocation of Key Materials for Epidemic Control (First Batch issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology)\". The key officials at Dali Technology said during a teleconference on February 2 that the company has been included by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in a list of suppliers preferred for infrared thermometers. Adhering to the principle of \"giving priority to epidemic areas, followed by ** and public sectors, and then enterprises,\" the Ministry assigns dedicated personnel to coordinate the procurement and delivery of these devices. Domestic manufacturers of infrared thermometers: Manufacturers of infrared thermometers, Province/City, Phone Number. Suzhou Mingwei Technology Co., Ltd., Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, 0512-65088600; Wuxi China Resources Silicon Microelectronics Co., Ltd., Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 0510-81800118; Xiamen Yeying Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., Xiamen City, Fujian Province, 64263819; Zhengzhou Weisheng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, 0371-67169015; Wuxi Zhongwei Aixin Electronics Co., Ltd., Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, 0510-85572699; Shanghai Nissila Sensors Co., Ltd., Shanghai City, 021-65928888; Hangzhou Mailook Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 0571-89905370; Shendi Semiconductor, Shanghai City, 021-50276900; Yantai Rockchip Microelectronics Co., Ltd., Yantai, Shandong Province, 0535-3410602; Nanjing Xuzhixin Microelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, 025-58876836; China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, Beijing City, 010-68200821; Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 0571-88075998; Wuhan Huazhong CNC Co., Ltd., Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 027-87180091; Tianjin Jiuan Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., Tianjin City, 022-87611660; Zhejiang Dali Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 0571-86695666; Yantai Airray Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Yantai City, Shandong Province, 0535-3410602; Guangzhou Beierkang Medical Devices Co., Ltd., Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, 020-34938449. Note: Rockchip Microelectronics is the parent company of Airray Optoelectronics. Second tier: Integrated companies in the infrared industry such as Huazhong CNC, Zhejiang Hongxiang, and Guangzhou Sate. Third tier: Leading cross-sector infrared security companies such as Hikvision, Dahua Technology, and Uniview. The security industry is also included in the unified allocation system for pandemic prevention and control supplies. II. Faced with such substantial demands for epidemic prevention, how can the industry address the supply issue of infrared chips? According to Jiweei Network, the detector formed by packaging infrared MEMS chips is the most critical component in infrared thermometers. Therefore, despite the surge in orders for infrared thermometers and the resulting strain on supply chains for components such as PCB boards, infrared lenses, and structural parts, manufacturers of thermometers such as Arirang Optoelectronics and Godinfrared have told Changhui Instrument Network that their current inventory of MEMS chips and detectors, along with their production capacity, is sufficient to meet production needs. While meeting its own needs, IR Optoelectronics also supplies \"temperature sensing modules\" to infrared integrators and security equipment manufacturers. According to industry insiders in the security sector, many of the leading domestic security manufacturers are customers of Arirang Optoelectronics. RuiChuang Micro-Nano, the parent company of AiRui Optoelectronics, stated on the SSE e-Interaction platform that \"the temperature measurement modules developed by its subsidiary AiRui Optoelectronics, as well as the infrared thermal imagers capable of rapid and accurate detection of human body temperature, have been deployed in frontline pandemic screening efforts.\" To enable efficient and accurate monitoring as well as effective containment of the spread of COVID-19, IR Optoelectronics’ product line will remain available during the Spring Festival to support epidemic prevention and control. ” III. During the pandemic, leading infrared technology companies worked overtime during the Spring Festival to boost production, but they encountered difficulties in obtaining raw materials from upstream suppliers. Companies such as AiRui Optoelectronics (Raytech Microelectronics), Dali Technology, and GaoDe Infrared (GaoDe Smart Sensing) worked round the clock during the Spring Festival to assist in epidemic control. However, with an increase in orders for such products, as well as the issuance of notices urging companies to delay resuming work due to epidemic prevention measures and the delayed restart of suppliers, these companies are now facing a shortage of materials needed for the production of infrared temperature measurement devices. Infrared temperature measurement products and some of the materials required for their production are considered key items for epidemic prevention and control. Therefore, infrared technology companies seek coordination and support from relevant **departments. At the same time, they strengthen communication with their cooperative suppliers and other partners in order to resolve material supply issues through various channels. IV. There is a sharp increase in the demand for infrared core chips, and few companies in the industry are capable of developing and producing such chips. During the pandemic, not only was there a surge in demand for infrared thermometers, but there was also a significant increase in the demand for infrared temperature sensing chips. According to Changhui Instrument Network, industry experts say that it will take at least half a year to obtain imported core detector chips at present. Since 2015, domestic companies such as AIIR Optoelectronics, Dali Technology, and Godinfrared have acquired the capability to produce infrared detectors on an industrial scale, and are gradually replacing imported products with these domestically produced ones. IR Optoelectronics has successfully developed a uncooled 1280×1024@10 micron detector chip. According to its 2018 annual report, the company’s annual output of infrared chips was approximately 56,000 units. Goode Infrared has made achievements in both cooled and uncooled infrared detectors; in 2019 it introduced the HD12 micro-meter cooled and uncooled infrared detectors. According to the 2018 annual report, Gaode Infrared’s annual output of infrared detectors was approximately 15,000 units. Dali Technology has currently developed non-cooled infrared focal plane detector chips with a resolution of 6 million pixels. According to its 2018 annual report, the company’s annual output of infrared chips was approximately 16,000 units. The total annual output of infrared chips from these three manufacturers is only about 87,000 units. Meanwhile, the demand for infrared chips in fully automatic infrared thermometers alone already exceeds 60,000 units, while the demand for infrared chips in handheld infrared thermometers is over 550,000 units. Faced with such a huge gap, to increase production in a short period of time, it is necessary to have **strong support to create fast-track channels for all legitimate methods of increasing production. Gaode Infrared stated on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s Interactive Easy platform that relevant authorities have established a fast-track process for them, ensuring that the company’s logistics and transportation operations are not affected. In addition to supplying products within Hubei Province, Gaode Infrared even supplies them to provinces outside the region. On the other hand, it also poses new challenges to the domestic infrared industry. Relevant departments of the State Council have issued an urgent notice regarding the resumption of production by manufacturers of infrared thermometers and related components ； The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has also established a dispatch system for key supplies subject to strict control, along with a corresponding information platform, to enhance the management of such supplies. At present, companies such as IR Optoelectronics, Godinfrared, and Dali Technology are accelerating the production of infrared temperature measurement devices, and a large number of these instruments are now available in transportation hubs across the country, including subways, airports, railway stations, and ports. Source: http://yunrun.com.cn/news/2923.html