Research Programme on Scientific and technological Development in Latin America: Working Paper: No. 37: December, 1980: The Use and Production of Numerically Controlled Machine Tools in Argentina

With the development of the microprocessor, the electronics sector has become regarded as a key technological sector in the OECD countries. Massive government intervention programs have been designed, not only for the production of these integrated circuits, but also for their incorporation into products e.g. robots and for the diffusion of microelectronic controlled processes. It is the all-pervasive character of the chip that has justified these programs. In particular, it is the microprocessor's low cost, high reliability, speed and flexibility in information processing; these attributes have been perceived to have broken down some technical and economic barriers to automation in many industries and services.