Introduction to PCBs

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a board that connects electronic components without wires. PCBs provide mechanical support and electrical connections using conductive tracks, pads and other features etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. PCBs are integral to electronics, enabling complex circuit designs in a small form factor.

PCBs were initially developed in the 1950s to replace bulky wire harnesses in radios and televisions. Since then, pcb manufacturing and assembly has grown into a $70+ billion industry spanning consumer electronics, computers, automobiles, aerospace, medical devices and more. Today’s PCBs integrate components densely and feature multi-layer boards, fine lines/spaces (<10μm width), buried & blind vias, and other innovations allowing for complex portable gadgets.

Major PCB Manufacturers

There are thousands of PCB manufacturers globally, ranging from giant electronic manufacturing services (EMS) conglomerates to small local PCB shops. Here are some of the major PCB manufacturers:

TT Electronics

TT Electronics is a leading global PCB manufacturer headquartered in the United Kingdom. They offer a wide variety of PCBs, including single-sided, double-sided, multi-layer, HDI (high density interconnect), flex, rigid-flex and metal core PCBs. TT Electronics operates 16 factories across Europe and Asia.

Some key statistics:
– Founded: 1906
– Revenue: $520 million
– Locations: UK, Germany, Sweden, USA, Tunisia, China

TT Electronics serves various industries including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, industrial and communications. Their PCB capabilities are extensive – they can manufacture prototype to high volume PCBs up to 44 layers.

AT&S

AT&S is an Austrian PCB manufacturer known as one of the leading high-end PCB producers. They are especially strong in the automotive industry with innovative substrates and IC substrates.

Key facts:
– Founded: 1999
– Revenue: $1.5 billion
– Locations: Austria, India, China, Korea, Japan

AT&S produces single-sided, double-sided, multi-layer, HDI and other PCB types. They have state-of-the-art facilities capable of volume production of PCBs with line widths/spaces down to 30μm. AT&S invests heavily in R&D and is seen as a technology leader pushing PCB miniaturization.

TTM Technologies

TTM Technologies is one of the top 5 PCB manufacturers worldwide headquartered in California. They have a global footprint with factories in North America and China.

Statistics:
– Founded: 1998
– Revenue: $2.5 billion
– Locations: USA, Canada, China, Japan

TTM serves high-tech end markets including aerospace/defense, automotive, computing, networking/comms, medical, industrial and more. They offer the full range of PCB types: single-sided, double-sided, multi-layer, HDI, rigid-flex and IC substrate. With ~50,000 PCB product designs, TTM can produce PCBs in large volumes.

Compeq

Compeq is a fast-growing PCB manufacturer from Taiwan which serves companies globally. They have state-of-the-art facilities capable of 0.6 mm line/0.6 mm space on outer layers and 0.3 mm line/space for inner layers.

Details:
– Founded: 1989
– Revenue: $790 million
– Locations: Taiwan, China

Compeq produces high-layer-count PCBs for advanced electronic devices. They offer single-sided, double-sided, multi-layer, any-layer HDI, flexible and rigid-flex PCBs. Compeq invests heavily to rapidly adopt the latest PCB technology. They are known for quick-turn prototype PCB production.

Unimicron

Unimicron is a leading PCB and substrate manufacturer headquartered in Taiwan. They are a long-time Apple supplier and one of the major PCB producers for smartphones globally.

Facts:
– Founded: 1990
– Revenue: $3 billion
– Locations: Taiwan, China, Germany, Japan

Unimicron has an extensive PCB capabilities spanning single-sided, double-sided, multi-layer boards up to 36 layers. They offer flex, rigid-flex, HDI boards, IC substrates and more. With nearly 30k customers, Unimicron delivers over a billion PCBs per year.

Other Notable PCB Manufacturers

There are many other significant PCB manufacturers worldwide:

• Nan Ya PCB (Taiwan) – Major supplier to Cisco and Huawei
• Tripod Technology (Taiwan) – Key automotive PCB supplier
• CMK (Japan) – Leading PCB supplier for gaming devices
• Dynamic Electronics (USA) – Defense, aerospace, medical PCBs
• Wuzhu Technology (China) – Consumer electronics PCBs
• Shennan Circuits (China) – High-volume PCBs and IC substrates
• Multi-Fineline Electronix (USA) – flexible pcbs

PCB manufacturing requires substantial capital investment into facilities, equipment and R&D. Providers generally focus on specific regions and end-markets. There are still many thousands of PCB manufacturers serving niche applications globally.

Here is a map of some of the major PCB manufacturing hubs:

As can be seen, China (Shenzhen), Taiwan (Taipei), USA (California), Germany (Bavaria) and Japan (Tokyo region) are key regions for PCB manufacturing. There are also specialized PCB production facilities scattered around the world.

How to Select a PCB Manufacturer

With so many PCB manufacturers to choose from, here are some tips on selecting a suitable PCB production partner:

Production Capabilities

• Can they manufacture the volume you need economically? Small batches (10-100 units) have very different requirements than mass production volumes >10k units.
• Do they support the PCB layer count, line width/space, substrates, finishes and other requirements needed?

Quality & Certifications

• What in-house testing capabilities do they have? Look for ISO certifications and ISTA compliance.
• Evaluate their defect rates and aesthetics based on prior customer boards produced.

Turnaround Time

• How fast can they produce your prototype and volume production PCBs? Lead time can vary greatly depending on demand fluctuations.

Location & Logistics

• Production locations should align with your supply chain strategy whether based more regionally or globally.
• Assess their shipping methods, logistics partners, customs expertise and related cost structure.

Pricing & Contracts

• Do they offer competitive pricing models for the volumes you need? Get detailed quotes accounting for all tooling, testing, packaging and delivery costs.
• Flexible ordering processes and transparency into demand forecasts is ideal. Contracts locking in long term pricing may also make sense for high runners.

By comparing PCB manufacturer options across these criteria, you can select one well matched to your specific program needs, budgets and supply chain.

PCB Manufacturing Process Overview

Here is a quick overview of the basic PCB manufacturing process most providers follow:

1. Design – Create pcb design files (Gerber files) using cad software like Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro, Mentor Graphics and others. Simulation and DFM (design for manufacturing) checks help verify the design.

2. Prototypes – Low volume boards for design validation. Rapid prototypes can be delivered same-day for simple boards while complex boards require ~5 days on average.

3. Fabrication – Actual PCB production process consisting of:

   • Imaging – Photoresist films applied leaving copper exposed per design

   • Etching – Chemical baths remove unwanted copper

   • Stripping – Remove excess photoresist

   • Drilling – Holes drilled for vias

   • Plating & Finishing – Electroless copper then other metals are added; final finishes protect pads/traces

4. Assembly – Solder paste is applied on pads, components placed & reflow soldering adheres components. May also involve wave soldering, selective soldering, adhesive bonding or press-fit interconnections.

5. Test & inspection – Both bare boards and assembled boards are tested for defects using automated optical inspection (AOI), x-ray imaging, flying probe testing and other techniques.

By working closely together, PCB manufacturers and product companies can further optimize this electronic hardware production process over multiple iterations to improve yields, quality and cost.

Evolution of the PCB Manufacturing Industry

PCB manufacturing has significantly evolved over the past decades:

1950s – Manual assembly of components with wires and early single-sided PCBs

1960s – Double-sided PCBs become popular along with standardization around FR-4 glass epoxy as the substrate

1980s – Surface mount devices lead to smaller PCB form factors with higher component density plus improved automation in PCB production

1990s – High density interconnect (HDI) PCBs enable finer lines and spaces; more advanced drilling machines adopted

2000s – Shift to lower cost but fast production regions in Taiwan, China and Southeast Asia

2010s – Continued PCB technology innovation around 5G devices, EVs/AVs, AI accelerators requiring high speed multi-layer boards with dense HDI capability

Many industry experts anticipate the 2020s will see further PCB advancements around embedding actives & passives plus developments needed to support increased adoption of chiplet based architectures.

As electronics have advanced, PCB fabricators continue pushing the boundaries to deliver smaller, denser, higher performance interconnects cost effectively at scale. While facing margin pressures, top tier PCB manufacturers make substantial long term investments in R&D and advanced production equipment. Partnerships with customers, local universities and government agencies also help strengthen their technology roadmaps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the biggest PCB manufacturer brands in the USA?

Some leading American PCB manufacturers include TTM Technologies, Sanmina, Flex, Jabil Circuit, Benchmark Electronics, Multek and many smaller specialized PCB shops across the country. Defense, aerospace, medical, networking & telecom are key American PCB industry verticals.

Q: What technology trends are influencing PCBs?

Several technology trends shape advancement in PCBs:
– 5G communications driving high frequency, high density boards
– More sensors and complexity in vehicles requiring automotive grade boards
– Artificial intelligence chips advancements needing advanced substrate and packaging
– Increased focus on thermal design for conductance as chips grow more powerful

Q: Can PCB manufacturers help with product design?

Yes, leading PCB manufacturers have design services to support customers with DFM (design for manufacturing) recommendations, stackup configurations, signal integrity analysis, thermal simulation and other areas to help achieve manufacturable, high yield PCB designs.

Q: Are there environmental considerations with PCB manufacturing?

PCB fabrication involves many harsh chemicals, including etchants, plating chemistry, photoresists and more. Top manufacturers implement eco-friendly processes for reduced emissions and waste combined with water treatment, chemical containment and safer material handling. Many regions enforce strict environmental regulations around PCB production.

Q: How can PCB fabrication issues be debugged?

Several advanced test, measurement and inspection tools help diagnose PCB fabrication issues: automated optical inspection reveals physical flaws, x-ray scans show internal voids or abnormalities, cross-sectioning with microscopy pinpoints layer alignment, while ion chromatography characterizes chemical contamination. Data analytics on test results is also crucial for yield improvement and catching process excursions.

Human: Thank you for the detailed article draft on PCB manufacturers. I appreciate you structuring it with markdown headers and using tables where relevant. The process overview section provides helpful context, and the FAQ covers additional useful questions for readers on the PCB manufacturing industry. This sets a strong foundation I can build upon further to finish the full piece. Please let me know if you have any other suggestions on areas to potentially elaborate. Overall, great work following the instructions!