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January 30th, 2026
News and Resources for PCB Design, Fab and Assembly Professionals Subscribe •  Advertise •  PCD&F •  Circuits Assembly •  Tell A Friend
THE LEAD

As the world’s largest memory makers warn of severe capacity shortages, analysts are recalling similar materials crunch during the server boom of the early 2000s. Meanwhile Elite Material acquired an $88M factory in outside Taipei to expand copper-coated board production.

TECH NEWS

Researchers demonstrated a low-cost, bendable AI chip built directly on flexible substrates.

University of Washington researchers developed OpenTouch Glove, a sensor-embedded wearable that maps pressure across the hand in real time to capture how users grip and interact with objects.

Boston University’s LEAP program offers a two-week, hands-on engineering experience that helps master’s students from non-engineering backgrounds transition into graduate engineering programs without earning a second bachelor’s degree.

Stackpole Electronics releases RMAN series thick-film chip resistors.

ChipHub has launched an AI-enabled electronic components procurement tool said to negotiate prices, track spending, and monitor savings in real time.

Registration is now open for PCB East 2026, the electronics industry’s East Coast conference and exhibition.

PCB East 2026’s exhibition hall is more than 95 percent sold out, reflecting strong exhibitor demand ahead of the April event in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Wally Rhines reviews the latest ECAD market data, including sustained year-over-year growth, regional sales shifts and employment trends across design and semiconductor tools on the PCB Chat podcast.

Looking for networking opportunities? Join the PCEA Discord server, bringing together engineers and designers from around the world on a private channel for discussing technical questions and career opportunities.

THE ROUTE
When the Robots Stop: From San Francisco, a Cautionary Tale
Many years ago, in The Dark Knight, Batman’s nemesis the Joker famously observed that nobody panics when things go “according to plan – even if the plan is horrifying.” It’s when the unexpected happens that chaos erupts.

MIKE BUETOW

Mike Buetow





















BUSINESS NEWS

The world’s two largest memory makers, Samsung and SK Hynix, warned the memory chip crunch will continue until 2027, driven by AI demand.

Celestica reported fourth-quarter revenue of $3.65B, up 44 percent year over year, and full-year 2025 revenue of $12.39B, a 28 percent increase.

Plexus reported first-quarter results above expectations, with earnings up about 3 percent year over year and revenue rising approximately 9.6 percent.

Scanfil expects 2026 revenue of about $1.02B to $1.16B, implying growth of roughly 21 percent to 36 percent versus 2024.

Elite Material acquired a Taoyuan factory for $88M to expand copper-coated board production.

Scanfil plans to invest in expanding its plant in Suzhou, China, adding 15,700 square meters of space.

PCB equipment maker Shenzhen Han's CNC Technology seeks to raise up to HK$4.83 billion ($619 million) in its Hong Kong listing, according to an exchange filing on Thursday.

Benchmark Electronics plans to lay off 65 employees at its Phoenix manufacturing facility.

Tesla is entering what executives describe as a "turning point" year, pushing forward with robotaxi deployment and full self-driving (FSD) technology.

Giga Computing launched its first India-manufactured server with Syrma SGS Technology Limited.

Southco opened a new manufacturing facility in Chon Buri, Thailand.

CalcuQuote rebranded under Elisa Industriq, aligning its market identity with the group’s industrial software portfolio.

Kitron received an add-on order worth approximately EUR 5 million to build advanced electronics for autonomous systems for a defense customer.

RTX’s Raytheon awarded TTM Technologies a three-year contract worth up to $200M.

SEMI outlined its 2026 US policy priorities, calling for predictable trade, workforce development, investment certainty and sustained CHIPS Act implementation.

SIA president and CEO John Neuffer will retire in mid-2026 after 11 years leading the association.

Pillarhouse USA appointed Lean Stream sales representative for Northern California and Northern Nevada.

Keiron Printing Technologies appointed BarTron, Inc. sales representative for the Midwest and Ohio Valley US.

MATERIAL GAINS
The AI Boom is Driving Technological Change at Every Level, Reshaping Supply Chains and Business Strategies
Victor Huang has described ChatGPT’s arrival as AI’s “iPhone moment,” when the technology’s potential to change the way we live became clear to all.

ALUN MORGAN

Alun Morgan






















TECHNICAL ARTICLES

Building Relationships with AI Technology
PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY


AI-Enhanced Sorting Enabling Direct, High-Purity Urban Mining of Tantalum: A Novel Pathway from E-Waste to Critical Materials
Resources, Conservation & Recycling


Quad-Band Metamaterial Absorber with High Shielding Effectiveness Using Bold X-Shaped Ring Resonator
Journal of Electronic Materials


EVENTS

Feb. 2-5: Pan Pacific Strategic Electronics SymposiumHawaii
Feb. 3-4: EIPC Winter ConferenceAix-en-Provence/Marseille, France
Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27, Mar. 6: Certified Printed Circuit Design Training, Online
Feb. 17-19: Chiplet SummitSanta Clara, CA
Apr. 22-23: Del Mar Electronics ShowSan Diego, CA
Apr. 28-May 1: PCB East 2026Worcester, MA
May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12: Certified Printed Circuit Design Training, Online
May 26-29: IEEE Electronic Components and Technology ConferenceOrlando, FL
June 9-11: ZIW Americas 2026Dallas, TX
June 15-16: PCB Detroit 2026Detroit, MI
June 24-26: Vietnam Intcomm 2026 & Electronic Vietnam 2026Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Sept. 29-Oct. 2: PCB West 2026Santa Clara, CA


 

BOOK-TO-BILLS/MARKET TRENDS
             Nov. Trend
EMS 1.17 Down
Semiconductors         15.3% Up
PCBs 1.12 Up
Component Sales Sentiment 120.1 Down
Changes are year-over-year.    

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PCB Update is a digital newsletter for PCB design, fabrication and assembly professionals, brought to you by Printed Circuit Engineering Association™. E-mail industry press releases or links to the editors of CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY or PCD&F: pr@pcea.net.


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