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68 SMT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2024 I have spent a lot of time in the U.S., and I am frequently asked about the differences between the Chinese and U.S. PCB industries. It's always an interesting question, and I will try to answer it in this month's column. Certainly, the U.S. was the leader in PCB manufacturing, including developing the pro- cesses and technology, which it taught to the Chinese in the late 1980s and '90s. As a result, China has become a force to be reckoned with in the global PCB market. Having been educated in America and now leading a major PCB manufacturing com- pany in China, I have a unique vantage point when it comes to comparing the two nations' approaches to PCB production. Comparing and Contrasting the U.S. and China PCB Industries Cultural Differences and the Impact on PCB Manufacturing One of the most significant differences between PCB shops in the U.S. and China is their business culture and operations philos- ophy. America focuses more on innovation, quality, and technology. American PCB man- ufacturers tend to prioritize high-tech prod- ucts for sectors like aerospace, military, medical devices, and high-mix, low-volume production. In China, PCB manufacturing is character- ized by large-scale production capabilities and cost efficiency. Chinese PCB shops are better at producing high volumes of PCBs at lower costs, which has allowed them to corner most of the global market shares, especially in con- Global Citizenship by Tom Yang, CEE PCB