What is the Next Big Trend in PCBA?

According to a recent report, the global PCB market is expected to achieve a CAGR of 4.12% from 2020 to 2025. This represents an excellent growth opportunity for PCB and PCBA sectors. In order to capitalize on this growth, the PCBA industry must be nimble and responsive as PCB technologies emerge and evolve.

Given how rapidly PCB advancements have been made in recent years, there are several key trends PCBA providers and OEMs need to keep an eye on. Since the PCB and PCBA sectors are so intertwined, trends within the PCB industry directly impact the PCBA sector as well. Below are some of the next big trends in PCB and PCBA.

Smaller Sizes with Higher Functionality: PCBs continue to shrink in size but grow in capability as the demand grows for more portable and higher functionality electronics including hand-held and wearable devices for consumer and commercial markets. High density circuitry is an amazing advancement that has enabled smaller, more tightly packed boards that are necessary for these devices. PCBA providers must keep up with the rapid PCB advancements and be able to assemble smaller boards with more compact components.
More Flexible PCBs: traditional PCBs are rigid and inflexible. One of the recent trends is toward more flexible PCBs. These are categorized as flex, which has more bend and is able to withstand more movement than traditional rigid PCBs, or rigid-flex, which is a hybrid option that offers the best attributes of both rigid and flex technologies. Rigid-flex PCBs typically contain flexible layers attached to one or more rigid boards. In order to remain competitive, PCBA providers must broaden their expertise to include flexible, rigid, and rigid-flex PCB arrangements and the associated assembly processes for each.
Improved Sustainability: in recent years many companies have been seeking innovative solutions to improve the sustainability of their manufacturing processes and products. Sustainable manufacturing is defined by the U.S. EPA as “the creation of manufactured products through economically-sound processes that minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources”. The PCB and PCBA sectors are looking for opportunities to reduce or eliminate pollutants and decrease their carbon footprint – solutions include lead-free soldering and biodegradable boards. There are many benefits to pursing more environmentally friendly operations including waste reduction, efficiency gains, improved brand reputation, and the ability to meet new regulations – all of which provide a more competitive edge.
Increased Automation: in order to deliver high-quality assemblies with rapid speed to market, PCBA providers are relying more heavily on process automation technologies. The additional automation not only provides productivity and speed benefits, it reduces labor costs and the risk of error during assembly operations. Automation and robotics also allow for easier customization and modifications since design changes can be made by simply altering the software input.

PCB assembly is becoming more complex over time as pressure increases to deliver high quality PCBs at faster turnaround times. When selecting an assembly partner, it is imperative that companies choose a partner, like RiverSide Integrated Solutions (RIS), that employs advanced assembly technologies and is focused on meeting the challenges of the trends above.

RIS PCBA Expertise

At RIS, PCB assembly is one of our core competencies. We provide reliable, seamlessly-assembled printed circuit board systems built with extreme precision. Our skilled engineers, technicians, and assemblers work to expertly put together a complete PCBA. When you choose RIS for your PCBA projects, you can expect the hands-on customer care of a small manufacturing operation and the capabilities characteristic of a much larger company with our complete electronics manufacturing services for OEMs in any industry. Our electronics assembly expertise includes:

Surface Mount Technology (Fine-pitch, BGA (1 mm), µBGA (.4 mm), 01005, X-Ray, automated rework, and automated optical inspection (AOI))
Magazine to Magazine handling
Smart Shelving floor stock inventory control
X-ray reel counting
Lead-through auto-insertion (Axial, Radial, DIP, and Zierick Terminals)
Wave Solder and Selective Solder Machines (No-clean & aqueous flux processes) RoHS and Tin/Lead capabilities
Special Application Equipment (Robotic dispensing systems)
Conformal coating (Silicone, Acrylic, Urethane)
Potting (Epoxy, Urethane, and Silicone)
Low-pressure molding technology
Comprehensive product test
3D Printing