Siemens Launches PartQuest Design Enablement

MUNICH – Siemens Digital Industries Software in August introduced the PartQuest Design Enablement portfolio, a new digital environment aimed at enhancing how electronic component manufacturers connect with customers. Designed to streamline operations and deliver personalized digital experiences, the platform integrates product discovery, BoM intelligence, collaboration tools and digital support into one cohesive ecosystem.

Microchip Technology is among the first to adopt the platform, demonstrating its value during the Microchip MASTERs event. Siemens showcased how PartQuest Design Enablement, combined with Celus design automation and Microchip components, can accelerate the design process.

Siemens says the platform enables manufacturers to engage more deeply with engineers while improving operational efficiency and decision-making.

DSBJ to Launch High-End PCB Site

SUZHOU – Dongshan Precision Manufacturing (DSBJ), the parent of Multek, announced plans in August to invest up to $10 billion in a high-end printed circuit board campus designed to support next-generation computing and artificial intelligence applications. The initiative marks a push to enhance the company’s capabilities in advanced PCB manufacturing, crucial for high-performance AI chipsets and data infrastructure. The company didn’t disclose the site location, capacity or expected completion date.

The investment will go toward state-of-the-art facilities capable of producing complex, high-density PCBs tailored for demanding AI workloads. This move comes as China sees demand for advanced computing hardware, especially in light of US restrictions on Nvidia AI chip exports, which has fueled a secondary market for repair and maintenance.

DSBJ aims to position itself at the forefront of the AI supply chain by delivering the reliable, high-spec components needed for evolving technology stacks. While project specifics are still under wraps, the development is expected to boost local innovation, generate employment and reinforce the company’s role in the global electronics ecosystem.

Ventec Breaks Ground on Thailand Facility

AYUTTHAYA, THAILAND – Ventec International Group has officially broken ground on its first Southeast Asian manufacturing plant here. The 35,000-sq. m. site is expected to begin trial production in the first quarter of next year and reach mass production by the second quarter.

The site is located near Bangkok’s port and airport, and will produce copper foil substrates and adhesive sheets for high-performance applications, including automotive, aerospace and AI computing.

Avary Holding Greenlights Huai’an Park Expansion for PCB Capacity and AI

HUAI’AN PARK – Zhen Ding Technology said Avary Holding’s board in August approved a Huai’an Park expansion, committing roughly $1.1 billion (RMB 8 billion) through 2028 to boost high-end PCB capacity aimed at AI infrastructure.

The plan includes two new fabs and advanced equipment to scale MSAP, HDI and high-layer-count (HLC) production for servers, optical communications, humanoid robotics, smart vehicles and edge AI devices.

Avary is a subsidiary of ZDT. The Huai’an investment is an element of the group’s capex strategy and targets mid-to-long-term demand for high-precision, high-layer boards across the AI server and connectivity stack.

Kaynes Circuits Launches PCB Project in Tamil Nadu

THOOTHUKUDI, TAMIL NADU – Kaynes Circuits India has announced an investment of ₹49.95 billion ($570 million) to establish an electronic component manufacturing facility in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. It marks the state’s first major foray into high-end PCB production.

The facility will produce advanced 74-layer PCBs, HDI and flexible boards, high-performance laminates, camera modules and wire harness assemblies. Projected to create around 4,700 jobs, the plant will help make Thoothukudi a hub for electronics and electric vehicles, situated near VinFast’s upcoming EV plant.

Industry experts say this anchor investment reflects a larger shift in India’s electronics strategy, moving from assembly toward deep-tech component manufacturing. It also aligns with the country’s growing component production initiatives under the government’s ₹22.9 billion investment plan.

Wright Industries Acquires Exception PCB

ANDOVER, ENGLAND – Wright Industries in August announced its acquisition of Exception PCB, returning the high-reliability printed circuit board manufacturer to British ownership. The company, now part of the Connexion Technologies group, means to reinforce the UK’s domestic manufacturing base.

“Bringing Exception PCB back from Asia into UK ownership strengthens our national manufacturing resilience,” said Craig Wright, chairman and CEO, Connexion Technologies. “It aligns with UK Government objectives and opens new opportunities to innovate, invest and lead.”

“This is a proud moment for British engineering,” added Kamal Berberi, general manager, Exception PCB. “Joining Connexion Technologies will allow us to expand our strategic capabilities and customer offerings.”

Polymatech Completes PCB Fab Plant in Estonia

CHENNAI – Polymatech Electronics last month announced the commissioning of its state-of-the-art printed circuit board manufacturing facility in Estonia.

The new facility features a roughly 10,000-sq. ft. cleanroom equipped with cutting-edge machinery, capable of producing up to 50,000-sq. m of multilayer high-density interconnect (HDI) PCBs annually.

Wipro Launches Electronic Materials Division

NEW DELHI – Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) has unveiled a new business division, Wipro Electronic Materials, aimed at manufacturing high-performance base materials for PCBs. The move marks a strategic expansion into the electronics manufacturing space.

As part of this initiative, WIN will invest approximately $60 million to build a copper-clad laminate (CCL) facility in Karnataka. The plant is expected to generate around 350 jobs and will have the capacity to produce over 6 million sheets of copper-clad laminates and associated pre-impregnated materials annually.

The investment aligns with India’s growing push for electronics manufacturing self-sufficiency and represents a step toward diversifying its advanced materials capabilities.

VVDN Expands with New UAE EMS Facility

FREMONT, CA – VVDN Technologies has announced the establishment of a new manufacturing facility in the United Arab Emirates, expanding its global footprint to serve customers across the United States, Europe and the MENA region. The site, scheduled to become operational within four weeks, reinforces the company’s backward integration strategy.

The UAE facility will support PCB assembly, automated product assembly, mechanical manufacturing and testing and validation, covering sectors including telecom, MedTech, automotive, cameras and industrial automation. By adding capacity in the region, VVDN aims to accelerate time-to-market.

Gourab Basu, senior vice president, manufacturing commercials, said the UAE expansion reflects VVDN’s commitment to meet rising global demand. “Positioned as a gateway between the East and West, the UAE enables seamless access to diverse markets,” he noted. “This expansion reflects VVDN’s dedication to bringing manufacturing closer to its global clientele while meeting the increasing demand for high-quality, commercially competitive solutions with a quick-turnaround.”

VVDN Acquires GGS Engineering

FREMONT, CA – VVDN Technologies has acquired GGS Engineering Services, expanding its engineering research and development (ER&D) portfolio across the automotive, MedTech and aerospace sectors. GGS brings more than two decades of expertise in mechanical design, analysis, simulation and technical publications.

The acquisition grows VVDN’s capabilities in innovative product development, cost optimization and scalable engineering talent. VVDN aims to address industry demands ranging from vehicle electrification and cabin design to medical device precision engineering and aerospace component development.

GGS will continue to operate under the VVDN umbrella, with its leadership team remaining in place. VVDN CEO Puneet Agarwal emphasized that the acquisition strengthens the company’s global value proposition and positions it to expand aggressively in the multi-billion-dollar ER&D market.

Cicor Finalizes MADES Acquisition, Expands A&D Reach in Europe

BRONSCHHOFEN, SWITZERLAND – The Cicor Group has completed its acquisition of MADES SAU, a Málaga-based electronics manufacturer formerly owned by the Latecoere Group.

With this move, Cicor builds its presence in the European aerospace and defense (A&D) sector, while making its strategic entry into the Spanish market. MADES, which employs around 100 people and generated EUR 29 million ($23 million) in revenue last year, brings additional capabilities in mission-critical electronics and industrial applications. Cicor emphasized that the acquisition will not affect its yearly sales guidance of CHF 620 million to 650 million ($754 million to $774 million) and is not expected to be impacted by recent US tariff changes.

Is Thinner Core Technology Ahead for Tomorrow’s CPU Substrates?

AUSTIN, TX – Larger substrate sizes for AI, network switch and server CPUs are driving the development of new package structures as well as materials and processes for substrate fabrication. One of the major concerns with a large substrate is warpage; other concerns include material sets to support the larger body size, including thermal interface materials to help dissipate heat.

That’s according to TechSearch International’s latest Advanced Packaging Update. The 100-page report examines these trends and includes a section on thermal interface materials (TIMs) under development for large-body packages. (more)

Tracking Giants: Inside the World’s Top PCB Fabricators

From Shenzhen to Southeast Asia: The changing map of PCB production.
by Dr. Hayao Nakahara

Accurately investigating the revenues of the world’s largest PCB fabricators is confounding: Each year is filled with mergers and acquisitions, and no public records exist for a number of fabricators because they are either privately owned or part of large corporations which do not disclose the revenues of their PCB operations. As years go by, more “estimates” creep in. As a result, the author’s confidence in the data diminishes each year. Nevertheless, the NTI-100 continues to reflect the status of the global PCB industry; its size and market trends can be deduced from the fabricators listed.

For clarification, while ranked lists often refer to the 100 largest, in this case, “100” refers to companies with printed circuit board manufacturing revenues over $100 million. A record 159 companies reached that mark in 2024, versus 134 companies in 2023.

As usual, many organizations and companies contributed to this year’s rankings, directly and indirectly. The author would like to thank them. The author is entirely responsible for any errors – there are doubtlessly many, unfortunately.

Cold Solder Joints

Why they occur, and what to do about them.
by Akber Roy

Soldering, the process of joining two or more metals through the application of heat, has been around for millennia, and is the primary means of making physical and electrical connections between the leads of electronic components and the metal pads on a printed circuit board. To make the connection, the solder must be molten so that it can wet the metal surfaces that need to be connected. When solder cools enough to solidify, it forms a joint, making the connection. Reaching a specific temperature (the precise temperature varies depending on the alloy used) is essential, however, because unless the solder melts to its liquidous form, it cannot wet to the mating surfaces. Solder that doesn’t melt, even if present, is referred to as “cold.” Even if the solder joint appears fine visually, it lacks the strength and integrity of a proper joint and could fail.

Here, we focus on understanding cold solder joints, what causes them, and design and manufacturing practices to prevent them.

Solder is simply an alloy, composed usually of tin with other metals, depending on the desired properties, melting point or other characteristics. It can contain copper, silver, lead, antimony, indium, bismuth or other metals. Regardless of the attachment process used – surface mount technology (SMT) or through-hole technology (THT) – soldering is integral to the assembly process.

Where Market Intelligence Meets Distribution

Component Dynamics is showing how independent distributors can guide their customers in tricky times.
by Mike Buetow

It’s well-established that the Covid component crisis forced the electronics manufacturers to rethink how they managed their supply chains.

The lesser-told story, however, is how it also reoriented distributors, pushing them to reposition their linecards and services to adapt to the changing market.

Those lessons were not lost on Component Dynamics, an independent supplier focused on supplying high-quality electronic component solutions for obsolete and hard-to-find parts. But while the company might scour the globe on behalf of a customer in need of a handful of tantalum capacitors, it also provides valuable market intel, boosting those firms’ predictive capabilities.

Smart Factory Evolution: Innovations in Automated Production

Maintaining stable production through error and predictive detection.
by Akihiro Senga

As industry shifts from the Internet of things, entailing machine-to-machine (M2M) and person-to-person communication, to the Internet of everything, enabling communication between people and things on a global scale, it is necessary to build more advanced systems by integrating items beyond just things, that include people, processes, and data. For example, changes in automotives and the use of VR and AI are revealing new possibilities.

Smarter factories require production systems with integrated data linkage and automation (Figure 1). Systems that permit devices to share data and automatically solve problems are being put to practical use as productivity-enhancing measures. Considering this, Fuji Smart Factory’s smart solutions are taking the lead toward this level of automation.

The Growing Importance of DfX in AI Hardware

SMTAI Women’s Leadership Program highlights how technology shifts lead to greater opportunities for those with specialized skills.
by Priyanka Dobriyal, Ph.D.

The need to develop new technologies to meet the demands of artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly urgent. The manufacturing of the necessary hardware at scale presents its own set of significant challenges, however, including highly skilled labor, specialized equipment requirements, automating complex tasks, supply chain disruptions and quality control issues. Given these manufacturing challenges, applying the principles of design for excellence (DfX) from the beginning of the design process is essential.

To illustrate, consider a specific example: the development of new interconnects, which are crucial for connecting the various components of an AI system. Interconnects are an example of the biggest bottleneck for AI performance. As electrical solutions near their physical limits, silicon photonics offer an opportunity to break through those limits by replacing traditional electrical interconnects with light. This permits significantly higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, reduced latency and improved thermal management, as photons inherently generate less heat and can transmit more data than electrons.

For advanced silicon photonics, the DfX challenges are particularly complex. The tight integration of optical and electronic components inside a single package, or even on a single chip, introduces a multitude of new variables for designers to consider. Design for manufacturing (DfM), for instance, must account for the precision needed to fabricate waveguides, modulators and photodetectors alongside traditional CMOS transistors, without disrupting the highly tuned CMOS manufacturing flow. This involves new processes, materials and devices, leading to challenges in design for test (DfT) as well, as traditional electrical tests may not be sufficient to verify both the optical and electrical performance, instead requiring the development of advanced photonics and electro-optic wafer-level testing. Furthermore, design for assembly (DfA) becomes more complicated due to the precise micron-scale fiber-to-chip coupling required for signal input and output – far more precise than electrical contacts – which can be sensitive to environmental factors and mechanical stress, driving the adoption of higher-accuracy assembly tools and precision manufacturing flows. These factors collectively increase the complexity of the entire design and manufacturing workflow.

In Case You Missed It

BGA Inspection

“Structure Light Measurement for a BGA Packaged Chip with High-Precision and Large Field-of-View”

Authors: Jianfeng Zheng, et al.

Abstract: Ball grid array (BGA) packaging is one of the mainstream chip packaging modes. The deviation of solder ball height can significantly affect the safety and reliability of packaged chips and may even lead to chip failure. To efficiently and accurately measure the height of solder balls on large-sized square BGA chips, a large field-of-view (FOV) and high-precision structured light measurement system is constructed in this paper. The influence of fringes with different contrast and gamma nonlinearity on three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction height is simulated to determine the boundary conditions of fringe quality. Based on these boundary conditions, the projection clarity and spot shape of the oblique projection lens are optimized according to the Scheimpflug principle. This effectively solves the problems of an unbiased axis and low utilization of projection in traditional structured light projection lenses and enables high-precision fringe projection on large-sized square BGA chips. Aiming at the abnormal height measurement problems caused by the high reflectivity and occlusion of the solder ball, an improved fusion algorithm is proposed, which can accurately fuse height data from multi-directional 3-D reconstruction data. The measurement system has an FOV of 95mm x 95 mm, a measurement accuracy of 1.4µm for a standard plane, and 4.7µm for BGA solder balls. The results show that this system can perform high-precision detection of the height of solder balls on BGA chips, especially large-sized square chips. (Applied Optics, August 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/393886013_Structure_light_measurement_for_a_BGA_packaged_chip_with_high-precision_and_large_field-of-view)