Substrate-Like PCB Market is expected to reach US$ 4,718.6 Million by 2028

Increasing Adoption of 5G Technology by Smartphone Manufacturers to Provide Growth Opportunities for Substrate-Like PCB Market during 2021–2028

According to our latest market study on “Substrate-Like PCB Market Forecast to 2028 – COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis – by Line/Space and Inspection Technologies,” the market is projected to reach US$ 4,718.6 million by 2028 from US$ 1,494.9 million in 2021; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.8% from 2021 to 2028.

Substrate-like PCB (SLP PCB) is the next generation of high-density PCB, which requires trace/spacing equal to or less than 30/30 μm (40/40 μm is the current limit for HDI) for further reducing the device size, leaving more space for other components. The rising adoption of SLP by smartphone companies due to the transition from 4G to 5G technology provides a massive opportunity for the growth of the substrate-like PCB market players. The expansion in 5G infrastructure is expected to increase the demand for PCBs and substrates for mainboards and modules in various end-user industries, including consumer electronics, automotive, medical, industrial, and telecommunications. Smartphones have evolved from 4G LTE to 5G support, and the complexity of Massive MIMO antenna configurations has made RF front-ends take up more space in 5G smartphones. In addition, the amount of data processed by the 5G system is expected to grow geometrically in the near future, thereby increasing the requirement for high battery capacity. Thus, PCBs and other electronic components must be compressed to achieve higher density and smaller form factor, which is pushing substrate-like PCBs toward thinner, smaller, and more complex processes. 

As the demand and sales of portable electronics continue to surge in different markets, electronic modules or devices must prioritize size and weight reductions in many of today's application areas and simultaneously provide reliable signal integrity for high-speed transmissions, even in harsh environments. Miniaturized components need to be arranged within a limited dimension, which is not feasible in conventional printed circuit boards (PCBs). This limitation is driving the need for substrate-like PCBs as it is a cross between a rigid board and a flexible substrate. These PCBs have particularly been introduced to address the elevating need for miniaturization in various electronic products with enhanced features.

Additionally, rising trends in technologies such as IoT, 5G, and smart cars are further catalyzing the miniaturization of PCBs; they are also making substrates more powerful. To support these technological trends, the use of substrate-like PCB has increased. Smartphone manufacturers are miniaturizing the devices to make them portable and easier to handle. For instance, in May 2018, AT&S showcased various products at the 14^th AT&S Technology Forum. One of them was mSAP (stands for the modified semi-additive process) technology through which the company can achieve highly miniaturized and precise PCB structures.

North America is one of the most important regions for the adoption and growth of new technologies due to favorable government policies to boost innovation, the presence of a huge industrial base, and high purchasing power especially in developed countries such as the US and Canada. Hence, any impact on the growth of industries hampers the economic growth of the region. The US has a prominent substrate-like PCB market size due to the growing automotive and consumer electronics industry and rising focus on the expansion of 5G networks. A huge increase in the number of confirmed cases and rising reported deaths in the country has affected both manufacturing and sales of materials associated with substrate-like PCBs. The factory and business shutdowns across the US, Canada, and Mexico resulted in the limited adoption of substrate-like PCBs. The region is expecting economic recovery and overall improvement after mass vaccination of people. However, companies’ risks remain with the market uncertainties related to tough business environment associated with the unfavorable foreign exchange rates, raw material prices, and logistics costs.

AT & S Austria Technologies & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft; Compeq Co., Ltd.; DAEDUCK ELECTRONICS Co., Ltd.; IBIDEN; KINSUS INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY CORP; Korea Circuit; SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS; TTM Technologies Inc.; Unimicron; and Zhen Ding Tech. Group Technology Holding Limited are among the key players profiled during the substrate-like PCB market study. In addition, several other important market players were studied and analyzed during the market research study to get a holistic view of the global substrate-like PCB market and its ecosystem.

The substrate-like PCB market has been segmented on the basis of line/space, inspection technologies, and application. Based on line/space, the market is further segmented as 25/25 and 30/30 µm, and less than 25/25 µm. Based on inspection technology, the substrate-like PCB market is segmented as automated optical inspection, direct imaging, and automated optical shaping. Based on application, the substrate-like PCB market is subsegmented into consumer electronics, automotive, medical, industrial, and others.

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