Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1443477
52 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2022 bility we could expect from volume manufac- turing of PCBs, except for those few factories involved in smartphone manufacturing. en something happened. e miniaturization level we see today started with the development of integrated cir- cuits in the 1950s and '60s. e technology we find inside an IC from that time is in some ways the same miniaturization level being developed in the general PCB industry today. What does that tell us? at the technology to produce smaller line and space PCBs has been there for a long time, just not utilized by the PCB sup- pliers until recently. So, what happened? As usual, technology development is driven by demand. Very few factories will develop and invest in future tech- nologies without a reliable forecast or demand. As mentioned, the smartphone and related devices have already moved into IC minia- turization levels. If you look inside a device, such as a smartphone, you will find what we call substrate-like (SL) PCBs, with a line and space below 30 mm. Inside BGA components you find substrates with the same level—what is called organic interposers or IC substrates. A Manufacturing Market Vacuumed by the Big Players All these types of SL PCBs have been made by a small number of PCB factories, and some of them are almost what we call captive facili- ties. If you try to place an order with the AT&S factory producing PCBs for Apple, you will understand that Apple doesn't allow spies into their facilities—not even the subcontractors. Doors closed! So, what shall we do if we need a substrate-like PCB, but we are not Apple or Samsung? Well, there are a few suppliers out there, but far from being able to meet today's needs. As a PCB supplier, we have seen the demand growing slowly over the past two years. Today, designers of 5G-related products such as filters seek suppliers of SL PCB that can take on sample orders for product development with short lead times, and to reach the market delivering small volumes with reasonable lead times. at is almost impossible today. A few smaller and larger PCB manufacturers have seen this and are in the process of investment and technology development at this level. e customers still need to wait six to nine months before we can see some capacity out there. SL PCB Market Forecast I have seen very few market reports on SL PCB related levels until recently. I am co-chair of IPC's Ultra HDI task group D-33AP, and to be able to develop a guideline we needed mar- ket intelligence to support the need of a guide- line, supported by standards. We are scheduled to get a report in January and will review it at our Ultra HDI session at IPC APEX EXPO. A reliable market forecast is crucial for investment and development plans for all parts of the value chain. Somehow, all of us outside the smartphone industry forgot to look into the fortune-telling crystal ball some years ago. Suddenly the demand for SL PCB is there, but very few suppliers are ready. In Europe we have a few that have moved into this area, but typically those suppliers also have customers that traditionally seek miniaturiza- tion, such as the hearing aid device providers. In an EIPC snapshot webinar in 2021, one of Europe's top PCB facilities gave a presentation on peak technology. ere are a few factories in Europe that can produce down to 25 mm line and space, but if you need an SL PCB below