DATA CENTERS

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping the data center landscape, dramatically compounding demands for power and cooling far beyond the scale of traditional centers.

AI workloads are inherently more compute-intensive, demanding specialized, robust infrastructure capable of handling immense, sudden power draws and the associated, extreme heat generation. This shift necessitates advanced, scalable electronics technologies and a fundamental redesign of existing data centers, driving the rapid construction of new facilities globally.

With data center infrastructure increasingly strained to the limit by power-hungry AI workloads, the problem may fall to PCB design engineers and manufacturers to remedy. The innovations they develop will be crucial in delivering more power-efficient and adaptive advanced electronics solutions; better enabling data centers to meet the demands of the future.

Specialized Electronics Used in AI Data Centers

1. High-Performance Processors & Accelerators: AI workloads rely heavily on parallel processing — tasks processed simultaneously by multiple processors, such as GPUs, TPUs, NPUs and Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs).
2. Advanced Memory & Storage Architecture: The massive datasets used in AI require vast storage capacity and extremely fast access times, such as High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and NVMe Solid-State Drives (SSDs), to prevent processing bottlenecks
3. High-Bandwidth, Low-Latency Networking: Seamless, instantaneous communication between thousands of processors is vital for synchronized AI training across multiple servers requiring High-speed Interconnects, High-speed Ethernet and Network Virtualization.
4. Specialized Cooling Infrastructure: AI hardware consumes more power and generates more heat than traditional IT equipment. It requires the use of liquid cooling systems, as traditional air cooling is insufficient for high-density racks. Advanced cooling solutions include:

• Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling: Liquid coolant is piped directly to processors to absorb heat at its source.
• Immersion Cooling: Servers are completely submerged in a non-conductive dielectric fluid to manage intense heat loads.

The Critical Role PCBs Play in Data Centers

PCB Technologies understands that supporting equipment for powerful data centers requires specialized capabilities, like high-speed designs, multi-layer construction, advanced materials and robust power delivery to handle high-speed data rates, manage heat and ensure reliable performance. We have the knowledge, experience and cutting-edge ‘All-in-One’ facilities to address these demands.

• High-Density Interconnect (HDI) Technology: AI accelerators like GPUs and TPUs use Ball Grid Array (BGA) packaging with thousands of pins, requiring extremely fine lines/spacing (e.g., 2.5/2.5 mil or less) and advanced via technologies like laser-drilled micro-vias, blind/buried vias and back-drilling to accommodate the complex routing in a compact form factor.
• Advanced Materials: Standard FR-4 materials are insufficient for high-frequency AI systems. Manufacturers must use ultra-low-loss dielectric materials (Megtron 6/7, Tachyon 100G, Rogers laminates) to minimize signal attenuation and maintain data integrity at speeds often exceeding 25 Gbps.
• Robust Power Delivery: The power AI chips consume (700W to over 1000W per chip), necessitate stable and low-impedance power distribution network (PDN). This requires heavy copper layers (3oz or more), multiple power/ground planes and arrays of decoupling capacitors to ensure stable voltage and current flow.
• Superior Thermal Management: High-power density of AI hardware generates intense heat. PCBs must actively participate in cooling by integrating thermal vias, large-area copper pours and high-thermal-conductivity materials (metal cores, hybrid substrates) to efficiently dissipate heat. 
• Signal Integrity (SI) & Power Integrity (PI) Expertise: PCB facilities must have the engineering and manufacturing capability for rigorous impedance control (tight tolerances of ±5%), differential pair routing and crosstalk suppression, to maintain data integrity and minimize errors in high-speed communication channels like PCIe 5.0/6.0 and NVLink.
• Scalability & Reliability: Manufacturers must be able to scale production with high consistency, often adhering to strict quality standards like IPC-6012 Class 3. This is achieved through innovation, automation, stringent quality control and high-level process optimization.
• Collaboration & Prototyping: Close collaboration with design engineers during initial phases (co-design) and rapid prototyping capabilities, are essential in optimizing performance and accelerating time-to-market for new AI infrastructure.

Getting Onboard with Advanced PCB Capabilities

As more sophisticated, high-power electronics are developed as a result of new technological breakthroughs such as AI, the demands for higher complexity PCBs will also increase. What is considered cutting-edge today will very quickly become standard, while the focus shifts to on-boarding the next innovation as quickly as possible.

For that reason, technologically-advanced PCB manufacturers must be willing to support higher complexity; more layer builds, finer pitch, different materials, etc. This in turn leads to a very real and practical demands for new equipment, new raw materials and the ability to take production to the next level. 

At PCB Technologies we offer our customers expansive all-in-one facilities, equipped with cutting-edge machinery and the experts to operate them, in addition to our iNPACK Division; specializing in miniaturization, organic substrates and advanced IC packaging solutions. 

Ready to discuss your project needs? Feel free to contact us anytime.