A printed circuit board (PCB) mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic components or electrical components using conductive tracks, pads and other features etched from one or more sheet layers of copper laminated onto and/or between sheet layers of a non-conductive substrate. Components are generally soldered onto the PCB to both electrically connect and mechanically fasten them to it. Printed circuit boards are used in all but the simplest electronic products. They are also used in some electrical products, such as passive switch boxes.
Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) form the backbone of all major electronics. These miraculous inventions pop up in nearly all computational electronics, including simpler devices like digital clocks, calculators etc. For the uninitiated, a PCB routes electrical signals through electronics, which satisfies the device's electrical and mechanical circuit requirements. In short, PCBs tell the electricity where to go, bringing your electronics to life.
The printed circuit board (PCB) acts as the linchpin for almost all of today’s modern electronics. If the device needs to do some sort of computation — such as is the case even with simple items like a digital clock — chances are there’s a PCB inside of it. PCBs bring electronics to life by routing electrical signals where they need to go to satisfy all of the device’s electronic requirements. For this to happen, PCBs are laid with a network of paths outlined in the traces. It’s these copper pathways that allow PCBs to direct electrical currents around their surface.
The future of the PCB market looks promising with opportunities in the computer/peripherals, communications and consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, and military/aerospace industries. The global PCB market is expected to reach an estimated $80.1 billion by 2023 with a CAGR of 3.3% from 2018 to 2023. The major growth drivers for this market are increasing demand for PCB in the communication industry, growth in connected devices, and advancement in automotive electronics.
The global PCB and PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3–4 percent until 2020. This growth is driven by the likely rise in demand from the automotive and electronic industries in the Asian countries. The APAC region, contributing to more than 90 percent of the global production, is expected to be a key influencing factor for the PCBA market by 2020.