As concerns grow that a potential Chinese blockade could disrupt 90 percent – 97 percent of high-end chip supply, policymakers warn of systemic economic fallout, while AI experts anticipate expanding real-world adoption in science, business and daily life without near-term AGI.

CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY has opened registration for the 2026 Service Excellence Awards, inviting EMS providers and industry suppliers to benchmark customer service performance through direct customer feedback ahead of the March 31 deadline.

Where is AI headed over the next five years? Eight leading experts say they expect deeper integration into science, business and daily life, but not artificial general intelligence.

Seika Machinery introduces Morita Tech WM7000 series robotic EMC noise scanners.

ITW EAE introduces Vitronics Soltec ProcessGuard thermal monitoring option.

Colorful introduced its all-metal RTX 5070 Mini OC, a compact 18.0 × 12.5 cm Blackwell GPU.

Kyocera expands 550/560 Series ultra-broadband capacitors.

TDK releases B43655 and B43656 DC link capacitor series.

Scott Bright discusses Cadstrom IO’s new platform for catching errors the ERC flow misses with Andy Shaughnessy and Mike Buetow on the PCB Chat podcast.

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.

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.

US officials are intensifying warnings that heavy reliance on Taiwan for 90 percent – 97 percent of advanced chips poses a major economic risk, as concerns grow that a potential Chinese blockade could severely disrupt global semiconductor supply and destabilize the US tech sector.

Apple will shift some Mac Mini production from Asia to Foxconn’s Houston, Texas facility starting later in the year.

South Korea’s semiconductor, AI and smartphone sectors are facing mounting strain as the US-China tech divide deepens.

Hon Hai and HCL have broken ground on a $403M OSAT semiconductor facility in Greater Noida, India.

The Federation of Thai Industries says that President Trump’s temporary 10 percent global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act will pressure Thailand’s key export sectors, particularly electronics, PCBs, ICs and automotive parts.

Victek has opened a 150-pyeong satellite manufacturing facility at its Songdo headquarters.

Microboard has invested $1.3M in Mycronic MYTower 7+ and 6X inventory towers.

TSMC is growing its Taiwan expansion with up to 10 fabs under construction or preparation in 2026.

Keiron Printing Technologies has appointed Yankee Soldering Technology its New England sales representative.

Safran Electronics and Defence Services India has appointed Shiju Jacob manufacturing unit head – electronics in Bengaluru.

Consider Manufacturing Complexity When PCB Designs Have Tight Hole-to-Trace Spacing
PCD&F/CIRCUITS ASSEMBLY

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Flexible Electronics in Robotics Systems: From Devices to Applications
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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.