The Daily Brief The part of the electronics puzzle no one's talking about
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Sep 12, 2025 Dive into the fascinating world of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and their crucial role in modern electronics. Discover how these components influence global geopolitics and supply chains, especially amid rising tensions like the US-China trade war. Explore the complexities of PCB manufacturing and the emergence of Southeast Asia as a manufacturing hub. Uncover India's challenges and ambitions in the sector, all while learning about the impact of advancements in AI and clean energy on the industry.
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PCBs Are The Electronics Infrastructure
- Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the essential infrastructure that connect chips to power and other components.
- PCBs act like a city's roads and power grid for electronics, making chips usable in devices.
Substrates Can Constrain Chip Supply
- IC substrates are ultra-precision PCBs with many hair-thin copper layers and are much harder to make.
- In 2021, shortages of high-end substrates, not silicon, constrained chip production and raised prices.
Materials And Process Drive PCB Costs
- PCB manufacturing relies heavily on copper foil and copper-clad laminates (CCLs), which drive most raw material costs.
- Photolithography, etching and multi-layer bonding make PCB production capital- and knowledge-intensive.