Has PCB Become a Big Niche Industry?

摘要

THE BIGGER WE get, the smaller we become. A simple presentation at a recent local industry meeting hit home as I realized how demand for the products our industry develops and delivers is growing more than ever. The result, however, feels less like a bigger industry and more like various smaller ones.The topic of the gathering happened to be solder. It could have been one of a multitude of technical topics, however. The growing fragmentation of processes and technological solutions, the "one size fits all" of days gone by, has morphed into many - and I mean many - different options tailored to specific end-applications or operating environments. Today, it is essential to pick your material, surface finishes, component and assembly methodology - and yes, supplier(s). You must be more specific than ever. What worked well in one case may not work for the next.