According to the "2021 China PCB Industry Analysis Report - Industrial Operation Status and Development Planning Seminar" released by the Guanyan Report Network, PCBs are mainly divided into hard boards (including single-layer boards, double-layer boards and multi-layer boards), HDI boards, IC carrier boards, flexible boards, and rigid-flex separation boards have different materials, functions and application areas. In recent years, with the continuous development of industries such as smart terminals, smart wearable devices, 5G and cloud computing, the market demand for flexible boards, rigid-flex separation boards, HDI boards, and IC substrates has continued to grow.

In terms of subdivided product structure, ordinary multi-layer boards occupy 44.77% of the PCB industry market share, HDI boards occupy 21.23% of the market share, and flexible boards occupy 22.62% of the PCB industry market share.

1. IC carrier board

The materials released by the Guanyan Report Network show that the IC carrier board is developed based on the HDI board and has the characteristics of high density, high performance and thinness. It is an upgrade to the traditional integrated circuit packaging lead frame and is used in various chip packaging links. . In recent years, as the integrated circuit industry has moved closer to the direction of small size and high integration, IC packaging has also developed in the direction of ultra-multi-pin, ultra-miniaturization and narrow pitch. According to relevant data, the global output value of IC substrates will reach US$10.188 billion in 2020, mainly due to the rapid growth of global integrated circuit sales in 2020. In the context of the rapid growth of downstream industries, the demand for IC substrates has increased significantly.

In the Chinese market, with the accelerated investment and expansion of Chinese fabs and the advancement of the independent and controllable national strategy of the semiconductor industry, the domestic demand for IC substrates will grow rapidly. . According to data, the total revenue of my country's IC substrate industry in 2020 is about 4.035 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.07%.

2. Hard board

Rigid boards can be divided into single-layer boards, double-layer boards and multi-layer boards. As the most basic PCB product, the single-layer board is mainly based on network printing. The copper foil and wires only exist on one side and the wiring cannot be interspersed. It can only be used for electronic products with relatively simple structure, and has been gradually eliminated; The double-layer board has wires on both sides, which can be used for double-sided wiring and welding. The middle is an insulating layer, and its function and stability are stronger than that of a single-sided board. It is widely used in electronic equipment such as white goods that do not require a signal source, and the market demand is relatively stable. . According to data, in 2019, the total output value of the global single and double-layer board industry was 8.093 billion US dollars, and it is estimated that it will reach 9.34 billion US dollars in 2025.

In addition, the multi-layer board adds an internal power layer on the basis of the single-layer board and the double-layer board, which has a larger wiring space, which can significantly optimize the circuit design and reduce the dense and complex circuit connection space to achieve the effect of integration. At present, multi-layer boards are mainly used in various electronic devices with complex structures and large wiring space requirements, such as 5G base stations, servers, automotive electronics, desktop computers, etc. Therefore, driven by 5G, cloud computing, and new energy vehicles, the market demand for multi-layer boards has grown from time to time in recent years. According to Prismark's forecast, the global multi-layer board market will reach US$31.683 billion in 2025.

3. Flexible board and rigid-flex separation board

Flexible board, also known as flexible board, is a printed circuit board made of flexible insulating substrates such as polyimide or polyester film. The flexible board has the characteristics of being bendable, rollable, foldable and thin. It can be arranged according to space planning requirements, and can be moved and expanded in three-dimensional space, so as to achieve the integration of component assembly and wire connection. Currently, it is mainly used in In bulky consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets and wearables. Therefore, in recent years, due to the continuous upgrading of smart phones and the development of bulky consumer electronic products and intelligent development, the market scope of the flexible board industry will be further expanded.

However, the manufacturing cost of rigid-flex separation boards is higher than that of flexible boards, and the market share is relatively small. They are mainly used in 5G data communication networks and fixed-line broadband links, medical equipment, and digital equipment. In recent years, with the continuous development of 5G communication and the continuous progress in the degree of autonomy of medical equipment, the market space for rigid-flex separation boards is broad. According to Prismark's forecast, the global output value of flexible boards and rigid-flex separation boards will reach US$15.364 billion in 2025.

4. HDI board

HDI board is a high-density interconnect board. It is a circuit board with a relatively high line distribution density using micro-blind and buried via technology. Its characteristics are "light, thin, short, and small". At the same time, the line density can be increased, so that the signal output quality can be greatly improved, so as to meet the requirements of continuous improvement in the function and performance of electronic products. At present, HDI boards are mainly used in lightweight and convenient scenarios such as smart terminals, and scenarios that require high-speed and high-frequency transmission such as 5G base stations and smart cities.

In recent years, benefiting from the expansion of functions of smart terminals, the demand for smartphones, tablets, VR and smart wearable devices has continued to grow, which has brought incremental demand for HDI boards and has a large market space. According to Prismark's forecast, the global output value of HDI boards will reach US$13.741 billion in 2025.