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AI Is the Golden
Track Reviving
Electronics and
PCBs
Remember 2021? Despite
COVID, the electronics industry
hit a high. Then came the slide.
By 2023, the industry was
deep in the red. With inflation,
policy shifts, and exchange
rate shocks, the problems
were long, and the outlook
was bleak. Recovery finally
appeared in 2024, but it was
fragile. Automotive electronics
slumped, wireless demand
stayed soft, and the ride up
was anything but smooth.
Yet, amid the uncertainty,
one bright track emerged:
artificial intelligence (AI).
Driving Innovation: Inner Layer Alignment
Methods in PCB Production
In PCB manufacturing, precision is a fundamental requirement. Among
many complex processes, the accurate registration of inner layers
before lamination is one of the most critical. PCB manufacturers align
multiple conductive and insulating layers to form a cohesive, functional
board. This directly affects PCB precision; tighter layer alignment results
in smaller "annular rings," superior performance, and higher yields.
Trouble in Your Tank: Metallizing Flexible
Circuit Materials—Mitigating Deposit Stress
Metallizing materials, such as polyimide, provide a significant challenge for
process engineers. Conventional electroless copper systems often require
pre-treatments with hazardous chemicals or have a small process window to
achieve uniform coverage without blistering. It all boils down to enhancing
the adhesion of the thin film of electroless copper to these smooth surfaces.
The Chemical Connection: Sales Organization
from a Capital Equipment Perspective
The sales organization for a capital equipment supplier to the PCB industry
tends to differ slightly from a supplier that manufactures and sells circuit
boards to their customers. After all, our sales depend on the printed circuit
board manufacturer's sales. If business falls off, you tend to delay or reconsider
the need for new or upgraded capital equipment, and then our sales fall off.
If your sales go up and you need to increase capacity or replace old equipment, our sales also trend upwards.
UHDI Fundamentals:
UHDI Technology
and Industry 4.0
Ultra high density interconnect
(UHDI) technology is rapidly
transforming how smart systems are designed and deployed in
Industry 4.0. With its capacity to support highly miniaturized, high-
performance, and densely packed electronics, UHDI is a critical
enabler of the smart, connected, and automated industrial future.
This article explores the synergy between UHDI and Industry 4.0
technologies, highlighting applications, benefits, and future directions.
