So where is it going?
Only the future can tell if the growing trends we see in the PCB industry today will become the next big thing in the electronics industry, or maybe we will see the industry going in other directions:
• Flexible PCBs - The PCB industry is a fast-growing industry and the fastest-growing division of the PCB industry in recent years is flexible PCBs. Wearable electronics, flexible displays and medical applications are just some of the industries causing this growing demand for flexible and flex-rigid PCBs. As the technological abilities of flex (and stretchable) PCBs gets more sophisticated, the product design opportunities also increase and we are yet to realise the potential of this division of PCB industry in the coming years.
• High Power Boards - There is a significant thrust towards higher power PCBs (48V and higher), driven especially by the fast-growing solar energy and electric vehicles (EVs) industries. These high power boards require PCBs to mount larger components like battery packs while being able to deal with interference issues effectively.
• 3D printing technology – 3D printing has already become a reality in many industries and R&D departments, however when looking at printing a mixture of conductive and non-conductive materials, with the complexity and fragility of modern boards, there are still great challenges for this industry before it reaches the current abilities of the conventional PCB industry. Making the 3D printing of PCBs cost-effective is another huge challenge to overcome, especially for mass production.