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Fresh PCB Concepts: How 5G is Influencing PCB Technology Trends

New technologies driving the PCB world today are much more along the lines of key technology trends that drive the electronics industry and the related applications themselves. For starters, we now have fifth generation mobile communications, 5G, which is a common topic today. There are other trends that are emerging that are somewhat dependent upon the development of 5G systems. These trends can be split into “people centric”—related to how technology will affect us—and “smart spaces,” which focuses on technical trends that influence the living or working environment.

We have all heard about the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI). In combination with the increased data transfer rates available through 5G, they can open a whole new level of connectivity and communication between devices and things. This enables, for example, developments in smart products such as smart production or hyper automation, advanced robotics, development of public safety functions to support smart cities, and the increasing use of autonomous things. These trends go hand-in-hand with the ability to transmit, transfer, manage and process massive amounts of data in a short space of time with low latency problems.

Finally, there’s the drive toward human augmentation that not just replaces human capabilities such as prosthetics, but more toward a capability that changes or enhances capabilities. I am not sure exactly how much of this we are seeing right now, but we will see it increase over the next five years.

Some of the trends highlighted form the basis for the development of autonomous cars. These are some of the technical trends that will I believe have the greatest impact on PCB technology in the foreseeable future. Such high-level trends will, of course, translate into other technical trends and themselves drive specific applications in various industries. For example in the automotive industry some of the trends highlighted form the basis for the development of autonomous cars; in medicine you’ll find them driving critical functions such as data processing and real time communications between specialists operating on a worldwide level.  Similar trends are also very much apparent within military applications, which are driving developments in certain markets.

5G is now being introduced on an ever-larger scale. China, for example is projecting a user base of 500 million phones or other such devices, by 2025. In Europe and the U.S., things are moving a little slower than in Asia, but the trend is definitely here.

In what ways have these changing scenarios affected the design and manufacture of PCBs? It’s the continuation of an already established trend. PCBs are having to incorporate a greater number of layers, increasing density of features supported with smaller track and gaps and smaller hole sizes. In the past, a PCB with multiple layers and type 1 HDI structure used to be looked upon as groundbreaking. Today, 10-layer HDI structures aren’t unusual. We’re seeing solutions that are achievable with track and gap on boards that are as low as 30 microns. It took a long time to get down from 100 microns to 75, and further down to 60 microns, which a small number of NCAB’s factories can support today. Some of our factories are commissioning new equipment and establishing the process controls and experience to enable even higher density. Looking beyond our factories, those at the real forefront of technology are already producing printed circuit boards with less than 30 microns.

An important challenge for the factories is to build up their knowledge of design and manufacturing experience at the same rate as equipment, raw materials and new solutions become available.  The factories will be under pressure to develop this knowledge, while at the same time making sure to balance the learning process with their core businesses so as to generate revenue combined with good yields from their production here and now.  Research and development teams will need to work faster. For NCAB, this means an evaluation process that includes keeping a close eye on the factories’ development plans on a two to five years’ perspective.

However, NCAB’s approach is clear: We are not aiming to be at the cutting edge of technology. We will only approve such technology when we know the processes are stable and proven in terms of producing a good end-product that meets our customer demands. However, it is necessary that we do know where the technical horizon is and how close the factories are to that edge.

Jeffery Beauchamp is a field application engineer at NCAB Group.