|
|
|
THE LEAD
As the Christmas holiday approaches, the US gets into the holiday spirit by announcing, then delaying, additional tariffs on semiconductor imports from China. Meanwhile, higher demand for consumer electronics such as gaming devices and TVs are tightening supplies of certain components. Merry, merry!
PCB UPdate will not be published on Dec. 26. We wish all our readers a happy holiday!
TECH NEWS
Quantum computers capable of solving large-scale problems in science and industry that classical computing can’t solve won’t be available in 2026, but the next generation of QCs might almost be useful.
Why it's time to reset our expectations for AI.
Toppan has constructed a new manufacturing line at its Niigata plant for flip chip-ball grid array (FC-BGA) substrates.
XJTAG launches XJLink-PF20 controller.
PCEA reports that PCB East 2026 exhibition space is more than 70% booked and on track to sell out, with the event moving to the DCU Center in Worcester for its April 28–May 1 conference and April 29 exhibition.
Entries for Circuits Assembly's 2026 NPI Awards, recognizing innovations in electronics assembly equipment, material and software, are due Jan. 9.
PCB West 2026 booth sales are now open to all exhibitors, with more than 60 percent of the floor already reserved following early access for returning companies.
Looking for networking opportunities? Join the PCEA Discord server, bringing together engineers and designers from around the world on a private channel for discussing technical questions and career opportunities.
|
ROI
Building a Future from Obsolete Parts
Let it be said that the printed circuit industry faces a whole lot of challenges. While some are geopolitical in nature, most are not. The foundational challenge is advancing technology in the most cost-effective and profitable manner to enable continued development of exciting new processes and products.
PETER BIGELOW

|
|
|
|
|
|
BUSINESS NEWS
The US Trade Representative has determined that China’s acts, policies and practices related to targeting of the semiconductor industry for dominance are unreasonable and recommends imposing an additional tariff on imports of semiconductors from China, effective in mid 2027.
China said on Wednesday that it opposed the United States' "indiscriminate use of tariffs" and "unreasonable suppression" of Chinese industries when asked about Washington's plan to impose tariffs on Chinese semiconductor imports.
Global shipments of Windows handheld gaming devices are expected to grow by more than 50% year over year, reaching 1.7 million units in 2026.
Tight supply conditions in the memory market have recently driven a sharp rise in conventional DRAM prices, TrendForce’s latest research indicates.
Global annual TV shipments are projected to exceed 210 million units in 2026, driven primarily by promotional activity associated with the FIFA World Cup, according to Omdia.
Samsung is preparing to significantly deepen its manufacturing footprint in India, signaling a shift from a narrow focus on assembling finished devices to a broader strategy centered on local production, exports and component manufacturing.
Harman International said Tuesday it agreed to acquire the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business of ZF Group.
Unimicron recently announced that it will sublease part of its Taichung Dajia land and factory to its flexible PCB subsidiary Uniflex Technology.
Mexico’s upcoming tariff hike will not affect Taiwan’s semiconductor and PCB exports, according to Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations.
Siemens Digital Industries Software promoted Jay Gorajia to vice president - professional services and customer support - Lifecycle Management Solutions.
|
|
THE FLEXPERTS
Flex Final Finishes
Is it possible for flex circuits to have the same final finishes available for rigid PCBs? Yes, you can use any of the final finishes available for rigid PCBs, but whether you should use them depends on the application.
MARK FINSTAD

|
|
|
TECHNICAL ARTICLES
Beyond the Gerbers: How Unstructured Data Drives PCB Cost and Lead Time
PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY
Graph Neural Networks for Automatic Addition of Optimizing Components in Printed Circuit Board Schematics
ECML PKDD 2025/Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Circular Innovation: How to Build Reverse Electronics Supply Chains – the Case of CIRC-UITS Project
IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
EVENTS
| Jan. 21-23: |
40th InterNepcon Japan, Tokyo Big Sight, Japan |
| Feb. 2-5: |
Pan Pacific Strategic Electronics Symposium, Hawaii |
| Feb. 3-4: |
EIPC Winter Conference, Aix-en-Provence/Marseille, France |
| Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27, Mar. 6: |
Certified Printed Circuit Design Training, Online |
| Feb. 17-19: |
Chiplet Summit, Santa Clara, CA |
| Apr. 22-23: |
Del Mar Electronics Show, San Diego, CA |
| Apr. 28-May 1: |
PCB East 2026, Worcester, MA |
| May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12: |
Certified Printed Circuit Design Training, Online |
| May 26-29: |
IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference, Orlando, FL |
| June 9-11: |
ZIW Americas 2026, Dallas, TX |
| June 15-16: |
PCB Detroit 2026, Detroit, MI |
| June 24-26: |
Vietnam Intcomm 2026 & Electronic Vietnam 2026, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
| Sept. 29-Oct. 2: |
PCB West 2026, Santa Clara, CA |
|
|
|
| BOOK-TO-BILLS/MARKET TRENDS |
| |
Oct. |
Trend |
| EMS |
1.26 |
Down |
| Semiconductors |
15.3% |
Up |
| PCBs |
1.00 |
Up |
| Component Sales Sentiment |
122.2 |
Up |
| Changes are year-over-year. |
|
|
|
Brought to you by the Printed Circuit Engineering Association
|
|
ABOUT
PCB Update is a digital newsletter for PCB design, fabrication and assembly professionals, brought to you by Printed Circuit Engineering Association™. E-mail industry press releases or links to the editors of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY or PCD&F: pr@pcea.net.
|
|
|
|
|
|