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AI Integration Drives PCB Upgrades; Analysts Highlight 13 Key Suppliers
Electronic Technology · Electronic Components · economic_daily · 2026-10-23
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AI-driven heterogeneous integration is pushing PCB technology toward HDI and larger substrates, with analysts projecting a supply crunch by 2027.
What Happened
AI-Driven Industry Transformation: Heterogeneous integration in AI is accelerating the transition of printed circuit boards (PCBs) toward high-density interconnect (HDI) and larger substrate formats. Analysts expect that the rapid expansion of global computing power will lead to a significant tightening of PCB and ABF substrate demand starting in 2025.
Critical Material Shortages: Projections indicate a potential 20% supply gap for critical materials by 2027, with copper-clad laminates, copper foil, drill bits, and glass fiber cloth expected to face severe shortages. High-performance computing (HPC) requirements for interconnects, power delivery, and thermal management are further driving the evolution of advanced packaging.
Substrate Scaling Trends: The increasing integration of HBM with large chips is driving a massive expansion in substrate size requirements, which are expected to grow 14-fold by 2030. This shift necessitates a fusion of HDI, high-speed transmission, and advanced substrate technologies in future PCB designs.
Supply Chain Strategic Positioning: Leading manufacturers such as Unimicron, Elite Material, ITEQ, and Topoint are aggressively developing high-end materials and precision processes to meet the demand for M10-grade components. Analysts emphasize that companies with superior production capacity and yield management will be best positioned to capture market share in this high-growth sector.