On April 22, at the CCIE 2025 SMM (20th) Copper Industry Conference & Copper Industry Expo – Copper Pipe and Billet Processing Industry Development Forum, hosted by SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd., SMM Metal Trading Center, and Shandong Aisi Information Technology Co., Ltd., with Jiangxi Copper Corporation and Yingtan Land Port Holdings Co., Ltd. as the main sponsors, Shandong Humon Smelting Co., Ltd. as the special co-organizer, and Xinhuang Group and Zhongtiaoshan Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd. as co-organizers, Zhou Mingliang, Executive Director of the Advanced Basic Materials Application Research Center of the Shenzhen Connector Industry Association, shared insights on the topic of "Development Trends of Copper Alloy Materials for Connectors."
What is a Connector?
Connectors are neural junctions and information superhighways in electronic devices.
Main Applications of Connectors Across Various End-user Industries
Explosive Growth in AI Computing Power Demand
Expansion of AI Application Scenarios: With the continuous advancement of AI technology, an increasing number of fields are beginning to apply AI, such as autonomous driving, medical imaging, and intelligent manufacturing, all of which require robust AI computing power support.
Increased Complexity of AI Models: To enhance the accuracy and performance of AI models, more complex models need to be trained, directly leading to a significant increase in demand for AI computing power.
Surge in Data Volume: AI applications require processing vast amounts of data, and as the data volume continues to grow, so does the demand for computing power.
High-Speed and High-Frequency
High-Speed and High-Frequency as New Trends: With the continuous improvement in data transmission rates, high-speed and high-frequency connectors will become future development trends, particularly in 5G communications, data centers, and high-speed computing fields.
Significant Growth in Market Demand: The notable demand for high-speed and high-frequency connectors stems from their pursuit of ultimate data transmission capabilities and stringent signal integrity requirements, making them a key force driving digital transformation.
Technological Innovation Driving Development: Technological innovations, such as materials science and precision engineering, are injecting strong momentum into high-speed and high-frequency connectors, leading the data transmission era to new heights.
Continuous Expansion of Application Fields: From high-tech electronics to healthcare, from intelligent manufacturing to smart cities, high-speed and high-frequency connectors are making significant contributions, deeply integrating into and driving industrial upgrades and transformations across various sectors.
Technological Innovation Directions in the Server Industry
High-Performance Computing Technology: High-performance computing technology can enhance server computing performance, meet AI computing power demands, and reduce energy consumption, making it an important technological development direction in the server industry.
Customized and Modular Design: To meet the diverse needs of different fields for servers, customized and modular designs will become important trends in the server industry, enhancing server flexibility and scalability.
Enhanced Security and Reliability: With the widespread adoption of cloud computing and big data, server security and reliability issues have become increasingly prominent. In the future, the server industry will place greater emphasis on enhancing security and reliability.
Digital Infrastructure
5G Communications and Data Centers: The rapid development of digital infrastructure, such as 5G communications and data centers, has significantly boosted the demand for connectors, particularly high-performance connectors capable of meeting high-speed data transmission and stringent signal integrity requirements.
Connector Market Demand: It is projected that the global connector market size will reach USD 100 billion by 2025, with digital infrastructure being one of the main application fields for connectors, accounting for approximately 30% of the total.
High-Performance Requirements: As digital infrastructure becomes increasingly complex, connectors face higher requirements in terms of high-speed data transmission and signal integrity, needing to possess characteristics such as low loss, high stability, and excellent signal integrity to ensure the accuracy and reliability of data transmission.
Automotive Industry
Rise of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs): The booming development of NEVs has driven the application of connectors in the automotive industry, particularly high-voltage and high-speed connectors, to meet the high-performance needs of battery management systems and complex in-vehicle electronic systems.
Enhanced Performance Requirements: With the increasing demand for battery management systems and complex in-vehicle electronic systems in NEVs, connectors need to possess higher performance, including high-voltage resistance, high-speed transmission, and strong anti-interference capabilities, to ensure the stable operation of automotive electrical systems.
Growth in Market Demand: The Chinese NEV market is thriving, with sales reaching 6.887 million units in 2023, nearly doubling YoY. It is projected that sales will exceed 10 million units by 2025, further driving the application of connectors in the automotive sector.
Smart Cars
Battery Technology: The energy density of lithium-ion batteries continues to increase, with new technologies such as solid-state batteries emerging, significantly improving charging efficiency and driving range.
Autonomous Driving Technology: Advancing from assisted driving to fully autonomous driving, with significant improvements in sensors, algorithms, and data processing capabilities, driving the continuous maturation of autonomous driving technology.
Connected Vehicles and Smart Cockpits: In-vehicle connectivity systems are becoming more intelligent, with smart cockpits realizing functions such as multi-screen interaction and voice control, enhancing the driving experience.
Trends in Vehicle-Cloud Collaboration and Green Computing
Development of Vehicle-Cloud Collaboration Technology: Vehicle-cloud collaboration is one of the key technologies for achieving autonomous driving, requiring efficient data interaction and computing power collaboration between vehicles and the cloud, which will drive the application of green computing technologies in the server industry.
Green Computing Reduces Energy Consumption: Green computing technologies can reduce server energy consumption and carbon emissions, aligning with environmental protection and sustainable development requirements.
Policy Support and Promotion: Governments worldwide are actively promoting energy conservation and emission reduction policies, encouraging the development and application of green computing technologies, which will provide policy support and market momentum for the application of green computing in the server industry.
Industrial Control Sector
1. Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing: The demand for connectors in the industrial control sector is mainly concentrated in automation equipment and intelligent manufacturing, with extremely high requirements for connector reliability, durability, and data transmission capabilities.
2. Challenges in Harsh Environments: Connectors need to exhibit excellent weather resistance, sealing, and mechanical strength in harsh working environments such as high temperatures, high humidity, and strong vibrations to ensure stable equipment operation and accurate data transmission.
3. Technological Innovation and Application: To meet the urgent demand for high-performance connectors in the industrial control sector, connector manufacturers are increasing R&D investment, focusing on developing new-generation connector products with innovative technologies and materials.
Consumer Electronics Industry
1. Proliferation of AI-Enabled Smart Products: The AI-ization and continuous upgrading of consumer electronics products, such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices, are driving the growth in demand for connectors in the consumer electronics sector, serving as a significant driving force for the connector market.
2. Enhanced Performance Requirements: As consumers' expectations for the quality and performance of electronic products increase, the performance requirements for connectors in terms of signal transmission, power connection, and data transmission are also rising.
3. Impact of Slowing Market Growth: The slowdown in the growth of the consumer electronics market has had a certain impact on the connector industry. To maintain competitiveness, connector manufacturers need to continuously innovate, enhance product performance, and also pose requirements for high-precision and special new materials in the copper processing industry.
Intelligent and Integrated
Intelligent Integration Leading the Trend: The wave of AI and IoT technologies is propelling connectors towards intelligent and integrated transformations, indicating a new direction for future technology.
Integration of Intelligent Components: Intelligent and integrated connectors integrate sensors and controllers, enabling self-monitoring, self-diagnosis, and self-adaptive functions.
Enhancing System Reliability: Intelligent and integrated designs effectively enhance system stability and reliability through real-time monitoring and intelligent adjustments.
Promoting industrial upgrading: Smart integrated connectors are leading industrial innovation, accelerating the transformation and upgrading from traditional manufacturing to intelligent manufacturing.
2. Overview of Copper Usage in the Connector Industry – Why Use Copper in Connectors?
Excellent electrical conductivity, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, processability, and high thermal stability.
Cost Breakdown of Connectors (Using RJ45 Components as an Example)
Depending on the type and model of the connector, copper accounts for 15-80% of the cost, with most micro-connectors having copper costs around 50%.
2. Overview of Copper Usage in the Connector Industry – Market Overview of Connectors
In 2023, the global connector market reached US$81.8 billion. China is the largest manufacturer, accounting for approximately 30%, and maintaining a relatively high CAGR.
3. Opportunities – Growth Forecast for Key Industries in the Connector Sector (2026F)
Application Volume of Copper Alloy Materials
Automotive Sector: It is expected that by 2025, the application volume of copper alloy materials in China's automotive sector will reach approximately 500,000 mt. With the expansion of the NEV market, the application volume of copper alloy materials will continue to grow.
Digital Infrastructure: The application volume of copper alloy materials in the digital infrastructure sector is expected to reach approximately 1 million mt, with continued expansion in this field.
Consumer Electronics: The application volume of copper alloy materials in the consumer electronics industry is expected to remain stable at approximately 600,000 mt, with copper alloy materials continuing to play a significant role in this sector.
Copper Alloy Applications and Technological Development
Copper Alloy Strip Applications and Technological Development
Application Areas: Widely used in key components of automotive high-voltage connectors and battery management systems, high-speed data transmission and high-frequency connectors in digital infrastructure, and signal transmission in consumer electronics.
Material Optimization: Optimizing alloy composition and heat treatment processes to enhance the electrical conductivity, strength, and processability of copper alloy strips, such as using high-strength, high-conductivity copper alloys to replace traditional alloys, thereby improving connector performance and reliability.
Surface Treatment Technologies: Enhancing corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and electrical conductivity through surface treatment technologies such as electroplating and spraying. For example, hot-dip tin plating significantly enhances connector reliability and durability.
Microfabrication Technologies: With the trend towards miniaturization and microminiaturization of connectors, higher requirements are placed on the microfabrication technologies of copper alloy strips. Precision equipment and processes are used to achieve microfabrication and precision manufacturing.
Copper Alloy Rod and Wire Applications and Technological Development
Application Areas: Copper alloy rods and wires are widely used in automotive, industrial control, and other fields, for manufacturing key components such as contacts and pins in connectors, as well as transmission cables, requiring materials with high electrical conductivity.
Material Innovation: Improving the performance and application scope of rods and wires through the R&D of new copper alloy materials, such as high-strength, high-conductivity copper alloys and copper-based composites. For example, using copper-nickel-silicon alloys to replace traditional alloys enhances electrical conductivity and strength.
Precision Machining Technology: As connectors move towards miniaturization and microminiaturization, higher requirements are placed on the precision machining technology of copper alloy rods and wires. Advanced equipment and processes are needed to achieve precision machining and microminiaturization manufacturing.
Environmental Protection Production: By adopting environmentally friendly materials and optimizing production processes, energy consumption and environmental pollution can be reduced. For example, using lead-free, cadmium-free, and other environmentally friendly materials to replace traditional toxic materials enhances the environmental protection performance of products.
R&D and Application of High-Strength and High-Conductivity Copper Alloys
Performance Challenges: The R&D and application of high-strength and high-conductivity copper alloys face the challenge of balancing electrical conductivity and strength. Optimizing alloy composition and heat treatment processes to enhance electrical conductivity while ensuring strength is the key to manufacturing high-performance connectors.
Alloy Optimization: In-depth research on alloy composition design and heat treatment processes is conducted for high-strength and high-conductivity copper alloys. Through experimental verification, the optimal alloy formulation and heat treatment specifications are selected to achieve performance breakthroughs and meet high-performance requirements.
Application Expansion: The promotion and application of reinforced copper alloys are strengthened, covering multiple fields such as automotive, communications, and industrial control. Leveraging their advantages of high strength and high electrical conductivity, the durability and efficiency of connectors are improved, driving industrial upgrading and progress.
