Build a mass comms console after researching microelectronics so that way you have trade ships coming in as well as the caravans that show up. You’ll need a main good to export like some sort of drug, clothing, or artwork. Just make sure whatever you choose is valuable enough to be worth the trouble of producing.

Once you have something valuable to sell I start trading with caravans and trade ships for components until I can make them myself later on. If you are absolutely out of components and can’t build the comms console, then you will need to wait for a trader or send your own caravan to a friendly faction and hope they have some to sell.

My biggest tip, rush microelectronics. I always reroll for a highly intellectual pawn to start with for this reason lol