PCB circuit boards under a global perspective: technological innovation leads industrial change

PCB circuit boards under a global perspective: technological innovation leads industrial change

PCB circuit boards, or printed circuit boards, are an indispensable basic component in modern electronic devices, carrying the task of connecting and transmitting signals between electronic components. Its development history has witnessed the technological innovation and industrial change of the electronics industry. This article will sort out the development history of PCB circuit boards from two dimensions, global and Chinese, and explore its status and role in the modern electronics industry.

2. World development history of PCB circuit boards

(I) Initial exploration stage

In the early 20th century, with the emergence of electron tubes and the rise of radio technology, electronic equipment gradually became more complex. In early electronic equipment, the connection between components mainly relied on manual welding, which was inefficient and unreliable. In order to improve production efficiency and product quality, people began to explore new ways to connect electronic components.

In 1925, American inventor Charles Ducas successfully obtained a patent for a printed circuit board, which was the prototype of a PCB circuit board. However, due to the limitations of the process level and materials at the time, this technology was not immediately widely used.

(II) Process maturity and promotion and application stage

During World War II, military needs promoted the rapid development of the electronics industry. In order to improve the reliability and production efficiency of military electronic equipment, the US military invested a lot of resources in the research of PCB circuit board technology. During this period, the manufacturing process of PCB circuit boards achieved major breakthroughs, such as copper foil etching method and electroplated through-hole technology.

After the war, with the recovery of the global economy and the rise of the consumer electronics market, PCB circuit board technology was rapidly promoted to the civilian field. From the 1950s to the 1960s, PCB circuit boards began to be widely used in consumer electronic products such as televisions, radios, and tape recorders.

(III) High-density and multi-functional development stage

After the 1970s, with the rapid development of microelectronics technology, integrated circuits (ICs) gradually replaced discrete components and became the main component of electronic equipment. In order to meet the high-density packaging requirements of integrated circuits, PCB circuit boards began to develop in the direction of high density and multi-functionality.

During this period, advanced PCB technologies such as multilayer boards, blind buried vias, and microvias appeared and were widely used. At the same time, the design software and manufacturing equipment of PCB circuit boards were constantly updated, greatly improving the design efficiency and production accuracy.

3. History of China's PCB Circuit Board Development

(I) Starting Stage

The development of China's PCB circuit board industry started late. From the 1950s to the 1960s, domestic PCB circuit board production mainly relied on manual operation, with backward technology and limited output. During this period, China's PCB circuit boards were mainly used in military and scientific research fields.

(II) Stage of technology introduction and industrial upgrading

After the reform and opening up, with the rapid growth of China's economy and the expansion of opening up to the outside world, the domestic PCB circuit board industry began to introduce foreign advanced technology and equipment. Through cooperation and exchanges with foreign companies, the technical level and production capacity of China's PCB circuit board industry have been significantly improved.

After the 1990s, with the transfer of the global electronic information industry and the rise of China's local market, China's PCB circuit board industry ushered in a golden period of rapid development. A number of competitive PCB circuit board manufacturers have emerged in China, with a continuous enrichment of product types, and the application fields have also expanded from military and scientific research to consumer electronics, communications, automobiles and other fields.

(III) Stage of innovation development and global competition

After entering the 21st century, China's PCB circuit board industry faces new challenges of global competition. In order to improve the competitiveness and sustainable development capabilities of the industry, domestic PCB circuit board companies have increased their R&D investment to promote technological innovation and industrial upgrading.

During this period, China's PCB circuit board industry has made major breakthroughs in high-end product fields such as multilayer boards, HDI boards, and flexible boards. At the same time, domestic PCB circuit board companies have also actively expanded overseas markets, participated in international competition, and gradually established a good image of "Made in China".

IV. Conclusion and Outlook

After more than a century of development, PCB circuit boards have become one of the basic components of the modern electronics industry. Globally, the PCB circuit board industry has formed a complete industrial chain and competitive landscape; in China, after decades of efforts and development, China's PCB circuit board industry has gradually grown from its initial stage to one of the world's important production bases.

Looking to the future, with the rapid development and popularization of new generation information technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence, the PCB circuit board industry will usher in new development opportunities and challenges. Globally, the PCB circuit board industry will continue to develop in the direction of high density, high performance, and green environmental protection; in China, the government and enterprises will continue to increase scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading, promote the high-quality development of China's PCB circuit board industry, and make greater contributions to the progress of the global electronics industry