Global Electronics Association Hosts IMPACT 2026 Session on Advanced Electronic Packaging System Integration, with Technical Perspectives from Unimicron, STATS ChipPAC and Wistron

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The Global Electronics Association hosted the session "Advancements in Component to System Integration" at IMPACT 2026, bringing together Unimicron, STATS ChipPAC, Wistron and market research firm TechSearch International. Representing printed circuit boards (PCBs), IC substrates, outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) system assembly, the speakers discussed the technical challenges of AI-driven high-performance computing (HPC).

As demand for AI compute drives packaging architectures from single components toward system-level integration, every link in the supply chain must evolve accordingly. IMPACT is an important packaging technology exchange platform in the Asia-Pacific region, organized by the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA), the IEEE Electronics Packaging Society (IEEE-EPS), IMAPS Taiwan and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). This year's theme is "Energy-Efficient AI: From Computing to Systems and Applications." The conference runs for four days in Taipei beginning October 19, while TPCA Show 2026 takes place concurrently from October 20 to 22 at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1. Building on last year's advanced packaging session at IMPACT, the Association draws on its expertise in developing electronics manufacturing standards to foster discussion on technical integration across PCBs, IC substrates and system assembly.

The session was co-chaired by Matt Kelly, CTO and vice president of technology solutions at the Global Electronics Association, and E. Jan Vardaman, president of TechSearch International. In his opening remarks, Kelly outlined the continued evolution of advanced electronic packaging and the growing convergence of semiconductor packaging, substrates, PCBs and system-level assembly. He highlighted two areas of focus: the critical package-to-PCB interface, and connecting the supply chain to identify emerging technology gaps, challenges and needs that can inform next-generation guidelines and standards. Kelly has more than 25 years of electronics industry experience, including senior technology and engineering leadership roles at IBM, and holds 25 patents.

"AI and high-performance computing are reshaping the demands placed on electronic packaging, and no single part of the supply chain, from packaging and substrates to board-level assembly, can address these challenges alone," said Kelly. "The technology gaps and needs identified through this conversation will help inform the Association's work on next-generation guidelines and standards, and they reflect our role as a platform for communication across the supply chain."

Jason Wang, vice chief technology officer at Unimicron, examined the fundamental shifts underway in the technologies and ecosystems of IC substrates and PCBs as AI and HPC grow rapidly. He pointed to the semiconductor-like evolution of substrates and the substrate-like evolution of PCBs as major trends, and noted that the industry must prepare early.

Ming-Che Hsieh, director of the Technology Marketing Division at STATS ChipPAC, analyzed the shift toward heterogeneous and chiplet integration driven by the rapid scaling of AI and HPC. His presentation covered 2D large fcBGA-MCM, 2.1D/2.5D integration and 3D packaging solutions, and offered an OSAT perspective on the path from 2D to 3D technologies.

Ander Hsieh, deputy executive director of Advanced Process Technology & Material Characterization at Wistron, focused on assembly trends for large-body packages. He described the surface mount technology (SMT) challenges that arise when larger system-on-chips (SoCs) and BGAs with stacked high-bandwidth memory (HBM) are mounted on system PCBs, including solder-joint fatigue, board warpage, placement drift and reflow defects. It also explores potential directions for mitigating these challenges and strengthening collaboration across the electronics supply chain.

E. Jan Vardaman, president of TechSearch International, summarized the discussion, examining the shared challenges and gaps across advanced packaging, substrates, PCBs and board-level assembly, and where greater industry alignment and collaboration are needed for package-to-board integration.

The Global Electronics Association will continue to connect stakeholders across the supply chain through industry engagement and standards development, helping the industry navigate the evolution of advanced packaging technologies.