Flexible PCB makers increase production of multilayer types

Wide adoption in popular electronics fuels initiatives of China makers of flexible PCBs to steadily bolster output for the multilayer type. At present, single- and double-sided units form the bulk of production, while multilayer variants have less than 20 percent share.

Multilayer units represent about 15 percent of Shenzhen Sienta Industry Co. Ltd's flexible PCB turnout and approximately 10 percent of that of Fasto (Zhangzhou) Technology Co. Ltd.

Shenbei Group (HK) Co. Ltd targets to raise the portion to 13 percent by end-2016 from about 9 percent at present. It will raise monthly production capacity to 1,200sqm in the months ahead.

In addition, makers will continue work on increasing circuit density, aiming for higher layer count, finer line width and spacing, and smaller hole sizes. Their current capability can realize more than 10 layers, 1.4mil line width and spacing, and 0.1mm holes.

Shenzhen Sienta can offer up to 8-layer flexible PCBs with 3mil minimum line width and spacing and 0.2mm smallest holes. Fasto can make eight layers, as tight as 1.8mil line width and spacing, and 0.15mm minimum hole size. Units with three to six layers make up more than 90 percent of the latter's output.

At Golden Shine Circuits Ltd, up to six layers can be done, while the Shenbei Group focuses on 3 and 4-layer models with 3mil minimum line width and spacing, and 0.12mm holes.

Globally, flexible PCBs used in smartphones, tablets and notebook PCs account for nearly 60 percent of the line's production value. The first is the biggest market with about 35 percent stake. In 2014-19, the production value of boards used in smartphones will feature nearly 6 percent CAGR, reaching $5.1 billion at the end of the period.

Units adopted in automotive electronics, covering dashboards, audio devices, antennas, GPS and control systems, will post about 4 percent CAGR in production value and touch $800 million by 2019.

Wearable devices, mainly wristbands and watches, are an emerging market, which is expected to have a rising share of output in coming years.

Consumer and medical electronics, telecom equipment, instruments, and defense and aerospace applications will drive demand for flexible PCBs as well.

By 2019, the worldwide production value of flexible PCBs will hit $13.8 billion, with almost 4 percent CAGR from 2014, according to Prismark.

In China, flexible PCB sales are projected to grow by more than 5 percent annually.

China is still the largest manufacturing base of flexible PCBs,churning out over 35 percent of global output value.

About 400 makers support the line, two-thirds of which are locally owned. The leading homegrown suppliers include Xiamen Hongxin, AKM, Shenzhen Jingchengda and Zhuhai Topsun.

The foreign-invested companies there, while a minority, are responsible for more than 80 percent of China's total production value for the category. Nippon Mektron, Sumitomo Electric, Fujikura, M-Flex, ZDT, Nitto Denko, Interflex and Career are among them.

The main manufacturing hubs are in the Pearl River and Yangtze River Delta regions, specifically in the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Jiangsu. Guangdong gathers about 70 percent of the suppliers.