“What Embedded World 2025 Taught Us About What’s Next”
Embedded World 2025 in Nuremberg made one thing clear: complexity is the new baseline. Whether it’s thermal management in dense PCB assemblies, custom ASIC/BGA sourcing, or next-gen reflow challenges, OEMs are being asked to do more in less space, with less time, and higher stakes. Here are the key insights we took away—and what they mean for design, manufacturing, and supply chain strategy.
🌡 Thermal Management: The Growing Pressure in Dense Designs
The push for edge processing, AI accelerators, and multifunctional embedded systems has driven board density to new extremes. At nearly every booth and breakout session, thermal challenges dominated the conversation.
Key takeaway: Traditional convection reflow struggles to maintain quality yields when large BGAs, FPGAs, and ASICs are packed into tight layouts with dissimilar thermal mass.
What’s next: Expect to see a wider adoption of vapor phase reflow as designers seek uniform heat profiles that can handle extreme component density without warping boards or compromising joints. At Amtech, we’ve seen vapor phase eliminate latent defects in BGA-heavy assemblies—especially when conventional ovens fail to hit targets on rework rates or IPC-610 Class 3 yield goals.
🔩 Sourcing Strategies: Custom ASICs and BGA Packaging
Another major thread: the rapid rise of custom silicon. OEMs are turning to ASICs and custom-packaged BGAs to differentiate and accelerate performance—but supply chain realities are hitting hard.
Key takeaway: Lead times are increasing not just for components, but for the packaging ecosystem itself. Substrate shortages, OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) constraints, and geopolitical dependencies all contribute.
What’s next: Companies need sourcing strategies that go beyond a single tier-1. Multi-region packaging partners, early DFM (Design for Manufacturability) engagement, and agile supplier qualification will be table stakes. Amtech’s approach includes early-stage risk analysis and supplier triangulation as part of every ASIC or high-pin-count package onboarding, helping customers avoid dead ends mid-program.
🔍 What Vapor Phase Signifies Beyond Just Soldering
While vapor phase reflow solves specific thermal problems, its rise signifies a broader shift: precision-first manufacturing. The most forward-thinking companies are redesigning their EMS workflows to deal with non-negotiable requirements—cleaner joints, tighter tolerances, and fewer process variables.
Key takeaway: Vapor phase isn’t just a machine—it’s a signal that your CM is investing in reliability, repeatability, and flexibility.
What’s next: Expect vapor phase to become a differentiator in contract manufacturing conversations, especially for medical device, industrial control, and aerospace OEMs. For Amtech, it’s not just about the oven—it’s how vapor phase integrates with AmtechOS, our proprietary production management system that enables consistent results across quick-turn and full-scale builds.
📈 Final Thought: Designing for the Future
Embedded World 2025 highlighted a truth many teams are now embracing: you can’t design like it’s 2020 anymore. Everything from thermal modeling to sourcing to process control needs a first-principles reset.
At Amtech, we’re ready. Whether it’s working with customers to co-develop thermal strategies, accelerate ASIC adoption, or bring vapor phase into high-mix environments—we don’t just build boards, we help teams de-risk and deliver.