Happy New Year! India approved $4.6B in electronic component manufacturing projects to strengthen domestic supply chains, as AI-driven demand accelerates growth in IC substrates and high-speed PCBs while exposing new material and equipment constraints.

The January digital issue of PCD&F/Circuits Assembly is out now, featuring HDI manufacturing approaches, stackup efficiency, PCB thermal management, DfM feedback and more.

Researchers demonstrated fatigue-resistant flexible metal-film conductors using a gradient silver–aluminum nanolayered architecture that maintains high conductivity under extreme cyclic strain.

Researchers demonstrated a fully packaged cryogenic optical transmitter that directly interfaces with superconducting chips, enabling low-error, high-efficiency data links at 4K without added amplification stages.

Elon Musk discusses how cheaper and (eventually) reusable rockets might someday put humans on Mars.

Samsung Electronics said early customer feedback on its HBM4 memory has been strongly positive, signaling improved competitiveness as the company works to regain ground in AI and high-performance computing chips.

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.

TSMC is significantly moving up its production timeline at its Arizona facility. Originally slated for 2028, mass production of 3nm chips is now expected to begin as early as 2027.

India approved $4.6B in subsidized electronic component manufacturing projects across eight states, aiming to boost local supply chains, generate $28.6B in output and employ about 34,000 workers.

Mycronic’s Global Technologies acquired Germany-based ETZ.

OpenAI is reportedly shifting its first AI hardware manufacturing order from China-based Luxshare to Foxconn, and plans to produce the device in the U.S. or Vietnam ahead of a 2026–2027 launch.

Mozambique broke ground on its first dedicated electronics assembly factory.

AI-driven demand is lifting IC substrates and high-speed networking PCBs, while tight supplies of materials and manufacturing equipment are emerging as new bottlenecks across the PCB supply chain.

Dixon Technologies said two subsidiaries received ECMS approval to manufacture camera module sub-assemblies and optical transceiver components.

Nvidia plans to expand its Israel footprint by adding 15,000 square meters of office space in Yokneam.

TrendForce reduced its 2026 global projection for notebook shipments to a 5.4 percent decrease, totaling around 173M units.

OpenAI has moved production of its first AI-powered consumer device from Luxshare to Foxconn, largely due to concerns about manufacturing in mainland China, reported UDN, citing supply-chain sources.

Baidu’s chip unit Kunlunxin has filed for a Hong Kong IPO, advancing a planned spinoff as China accelerates domestic semiconductor development amid tighter US export restrictions.

EIPC elected Rico Schlüter as president, naming new vice presidents and confirming its 2026–27 board lineup.

Benchmark Electronics chief technology officer Jan Janick will retire, effective Jan. 16.

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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.