Held for three days from the 24th to the 26th at KINTEX in Goyang City

The '2018 International Electronic Circuits & Assembly Industry Show (KPCAshow),' an international exhibition specializing in electronic circuits and assembly, has opened.

The three-day event, held from the 24th to the 26th, will be held at KINTEX Exhibition Center 2 in Goyang City. This exhibition brings together circuit board manufacturers, supporting industries such as raw materials and equipment manufacturers.

Hong Jeong-bong, chairman of the Korea Electronic Circuit Industry Association, said at the opening ceremony, “The domestic PCB manufacturing industry had been experiencing negative growth for three consecutive years since 2014, but in 2017, it achieved double-digit growth of 12.7% year-on-year.” He added, “The high growth rate of flexible manufacturers, driven by new demand for rigid-flexible printed circuit boards (RF-PCBs), is a factor. “We must continue this year as well,” he said.

At this exhibition, LG Innotek will introduce approximately 10 types of ultra-precision electronic circuit boards in four product groups: Build-up PCB, Rigid Flexible PCB, Tape Substrate, and Package Substrate.

In the build-up PCB used for smartphone main boards, differentiated products such as ultra-thin HDI (High Density Interconnection), embedded PCB, and SLP (Substrate Like PCB) will be introduced, and SLP will be a product that applies semiconductor packaging technology to existing HDI.

Rigid-Flexible PCBs combine rigid and flexible PCBs to create hybrid boards that offer increased usability, allowing for higher component density and bendability, enabling three-dimensional circuit connections. For tape substrates, LG Innotek showcases its technological prowess with 2-Metal Chip-On-Film (COF) and smart ICs. These products utilize LG Innotek's unique ultra-fine manufacturing methods, including Fine Pitch Patterning (FPP).

Philoptics, a company specializing in secondary battery and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) laser process equipment, is unveiling Korea's first direct imaging (DI) exposure machine that uses an ultraviolet light-emitting diode (LED) light source.

DI exposure is a technology that directly exposes the exposure layer on the substrate without a photomask, and has the advantage of implementing ultra-fine circuit line widths and reducing costs by reducing the process. By incorporating a UV-LED light source with high light efficiency, it is possible to reduce energy consumption and extend the replacement cycle of the light source.

This event will feature an international symposium and a presentation of new products and technologies, offering insights into trends in technology, materials, and standards, including trends in the global electronic circuit board market and patent applications in the PCB technology field.

Various promotional booths were also set up within the exhibition hall. The "World-Class Product Introduction Hall," operated by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to boost exports, showcases products ranked within the top five in global market share. A promotional booth for the World PCB Association, representing China (CPCA), Taiwan (TPCA), and Hong Kong (HKPCA), will also be open.

The Korea Industrial Complex Corporation Promotion Center, operated by the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation and member companies of the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation's PCB cluster in the Gyeonggi and Incheon regions, facilitates information exchange and technological cooperation. Other facilities include the PCB Industry Awards Promotion Center, a business lounge, and the KPCA Bookstore.