PCB INDUSTRY - GLOBAL SCENARIO AND INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

Printed Circuit Board design and manufacturing technology is changing rapidly in recent years. Major driving forces are developments of new materials with improved characteristics, miniaturisation of components with decreasing lead spacing and higher pin counts for LSI/VLSI, Surf ace Mount Components (SMD), increasing board size to accommodate large circuit and to reduce the interfaces viz: Connectors, Cables etc. The resultant PCB products are double sided plated through hole boards wi th tracks and spaces of 4 mils and less, Multilayer boards with high d ensity of buried and blind vias, composite boards with separate layers for signal, power and ground planes. The new board materials are need ed to improve thermal mismatch with components as well as inner board layers, thermal conductivity, structural strength against vibration an d shock besides environmental consideration viz: humidity, thermal cyc ling, high temperature etc. The application at high frequencies, with high signal speed and the need to reduce cross talk interferences, ele ctromagnetic interference also demand new design consideration besides control on materials and process parameters. The present report focus es on the development of PCB industry in India and attempts a medium t erm market forecast. Trends in PCB materials, PCB design and related p rocess technologies are discussed in brief. International market of PC B and production (and market in various countries) have been indicated . These data provides glimpses of qualitative growth parameters of PCB market. Indian scene of PCBs has been presented giving details of ins talled capacity, investments, production and exports. Based on the ava ilable VIII Plan projections for the equipment sector, future demand o f PCBs have been worked out. Technical capabilities alongwith efforts to promote and upgrade this sector has been highlighted. Problems face d by Indian PCB industry have been identified and few suggestions made to remain competitive in international market.