PCB West 2026 Registration Opens: 120+ Hours of Training in Santa Clara This September

The Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) has opened registration for PCB West 2026, the organization’s flagship West Coast technical conference, scheduled for September 2026 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, California. The event will feature more than 50 classes and 120+ hours of comprehensive training covering PCB design, fabrication, assembly, testing, and additive manufacturing.

What to Expect at PCB West 2026

Following the record-setting attendance at PCB East 2026 (48% growth over 2025), PCB West is expected to draw its largest audience yet as the electronics industry accelerates investment in:

• AI infrastructure PCB design — High-layer-count, low-loss laminate designs for AI servers
• Advanced packaging substrates — Fine-line HDI for chiplet integration
• High-frequency materials — RF/mmWave PCB design for 5G and satellite communications
• Thermal management — Power electronics layout for EV and renewable energy
• Manufacturing automation — AI-assisted inspection and Industry 4.0 integration

Technical Program Highlights

The program addresses both foundational skills and cutting-edge topics:

Design Track:

• Controlled impedance design for 56-112 Gbps serial links
• Signal integrity simulation correlation with measurement
• Power delivery network (PDN) analysis for AI accelerator boards
• RF PCB design with hybrid Rogers/FR-4 stackups

Manufacturing Track:

• Advanced via technology: laser drilling, back-drilling, via-in-pad filling
• SAP/mSAP (Semi-Additive Process) for ultra-fine line fabrication
• Horizontal plating uniformity for HDI substrates
• Panel-level packaging manufacturing challenges

Assembly Track:

• Large BGA/LGA assembly challenges (80×80mm and larger)
• Lead-free reliability for harsh environments
• Mixed assembly: fine-pitch SMD + through-hole on same board
• AOI/SPI machine learning integration

Emerging Technology:

• Additive PCB manufacturing (printed electronics)
• Embedded component technology
• Glass core substrates for advanced packaging
• Photonic PCB interconnects

Conference Format

PCB West maintains its proven format:

• Multi-day technical program: 3-4 days of parallel class tracks
• Exhibition floor: 100+ vendors showing manufacturing equipment, materials, and services
• Networking events: Evening receptions and organized meetups
• Certification preparation: IPC CID/CID+ exam preparation courses

Why Industry Events Matter in the AI Era

Despite the abundance of online resources, in-person conferences remain irreplaceable for:

1. Hands-on demonstrations of new manufacturing equipment and materials
2. Vendor evaluation — comparing multiple suppliers face-to-face
3. Peer networking — connecting with engineers facing similar challenges
4. Problem-solving sessions — bringing specific design or manufacturing issues for expert consultation
5. Career development — professional certification and skill advancement

The 48% attendance growth at PCB East confirms the industry’s appetite for knowledge sharing as technology complexity accelerates.

Registration Information

• Location: Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA
• Date: September 2026 (specific dates TBA on pcea.net)
• Registration: Now open at pcea.net
• Early bird pricing: Available for early registrations

AtlasPCB at Industry Events

AtlasPCB actively supports the PCB engineering community. Engineers attending PCB West are welcome to schedule one-on-one DFM consultations with our team — bring your designs and get manufacturing feedback on stackup, material selection, and process feasibility.

Planning a new high-performance design? Get a quote → and discuss your requirements with our engineering team before finalizing your layout.

Explore our process capabilities: AtlasPCB Capabilities →

Source: PCEA May 2026 Announcement, Printed Circuit Engineering Association

Image: Product School via Unsplash