As of the end of 2024, 2.25 billion 5G connections existed worldwide, and this number is predicted to reach 8.3 billion by 2029, representing nearly 60% of all wireless connections.

Such an expansive rollout of global 5G networks has transformed industries, from IoT and smart infrastructure to telematics and autonomous vehicles. 5G applications are an essential component of modern electronics systems, utilising higher data throughput and lower latency to deliver connectivity that is more reliable than ever.

Achieving the full potential of 5G requires meticulous radio frequency (RF) engineering, from antenna design and signal integrity to spectrum management and electromagnetic compatibility.

TThis article explores how electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers like PCI support 5G-enabled devices, integrating advanced RF design expertise and precision PCBA manufacturing to ensure optimal performance and reliability in real-world deployments.

5G and Its Engineering Demands

5G technology is connectivity is unique due to its capacity to deliver faster data rates, lower latency, and support massive device density.

Unlike previous generations, 5G operates across higher frequency bands, including millimetre-wave (mmWave) spectrums, which leverage wider bandwidth. This allows 5G connectivity to operate on a much higher capacity and support a vast network of devices, making it indispensable for real-time telematics, autonomous systems, industrial IoT, and smart infrastructure solutions.

However, designing hardware for 5G is particularly complex. mmWave signals have shorter wavelengths, which can struggle to maintain integrity when faced with physical obstacles and require precise antenna placement and advanced beamforming techniques.

Additionally, integrating multiple antennas in a compact device presents isolation challenges, where signals can interfere with each other if not carefully managed. Another potential issue is power efficiency and thermal management. 5G circuits can generate significant amounts of heat during high-speed operation, potentially affecting device reliability and lifespan.

To meet this demand, electronics manufacturers adapt a multidisciplinary approach. EMS providers like PCI combine RF engineering, mechanical design, and PCB expertise to create 5G-enabled devices that are both high-performing and manufacturable at scale.

Early collaboration across these disciplines ensures optimal signal integrity, heat management, and device robustness, all essential for delivering consistent 5G performance in real-world applications.

Advanced Radio Wave Engineering in 5G Devices

Radio wave engineering or RF is the backbone of wireless communication technology, enabling strong connectivity across a diverse range of devices.

In 5G hardware, where signals must travel at extremely high frequencies and through densely packed components, good radio wave engineering directly determines how well a device performs.

5G hardware relies heavily on several core areas of RF engineering:

1. Antenna Design and Placement: Minimising Interference and Signal Loss

5G antennas need to be smaller, more numerous, and more precisely placed than in past generations. This is due to two primary reasons: 5G uses higher frequencies, which do not travel as far and can be blocked by obstacles such as metal, batteries, or even a user’s hand.

Additionally, a device may rely on multiple antenna arrays so it can maintain connections even when one antenna is obstructed.

RF engineering accounts for these limitations by:

• Identifying the best physical location for antennas so signals are not blocked by internal components.
• Ensuring antennas do not interfere with each other, especially in devices that support multiple radio standards, including 5G in addition to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or GPS.
• Managing the ground plane and device casing to avoid distortion or weakening of signal performance.

2. RF Front-End Optimisation: Filters, Amplifiers, and Impedance Matching

   The RF front end is the “signal gateway” of any 5G device. There is an added element of complexity here because 5G devices must be capable of supporting various frequency bands, and their signals are more sensitive to distortion, requiring extremely precise tuning.

   RF engineering ensures optimal performance in this area by incorporating components like:

   • Power amplifiers (PA), which boost outgoing signals so they can reach the necessary distances.
   • Low-noise amplifiers (LNA) to strengthen incoming signals without adding distortion
   • Filters to separate useful signals from unwanted noise.
   • Switches that route signals between multiple antennas and bands.
   • Impedance matching networksto ensure maximum signal power flows through circuits.

3. EMI/EMC Management: Ensuring Compatibility in Dense Component Layouts

   5G devices typically pack a lot of electronics into highly compact spaces. Processors, memory chips, power circuits, sensors, antennas, and more can be only millimetres apart, and this scale of density is highly challenging for electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

   For instance, high-frequency 5G signals can interfere with the device’s own components, while power circuits and processors generate noise that can distort sensitive RF paths. Crucially, poor EMC and EMI management can cause devices to fail certification or operate unreliably, compromising their path to market.

   What RF engineers do:

   • Add shielding cans or conductive frames around noisy components to minimise interference and noise.
   • Use carefully routed PCB traces to reduce coupling and cross-talk.
   • Implement grounding and isolationstrategies to keep signal paths clean and ensure signal integrity.

   This is why EMS partners with strong 5G radio wave engineering capabilities are so valuable, as they ensure stable performance, reliability, and a smoother process towards regulatory compliance.

How EMS Partners Enable 5G-Ready Manufacturing

As 5G devices move into higher frequencies and denser PCB layouts, an experienced electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider plays a crucial role. Partners like PCI offer specialised processes, radio wave engineering expertise, and focused quality control to ensure devices pass certification and perform reliably in the field.

1. High-Frequency PCB Manufacturing

5G PCBs can be far more complex than traditional boards. They require low-loss materials to support high-frequency signal transmission without excessive attenuation, as well as multilayer stackups that separate RF layers from digital and power circuitry to reduce noise.

EMS providers support PCB manufacturing for 5G applications with:

• Material selection expertise to match dielectric constants (Dk) and dissipation factors (Df) with 5G frequency requirements.
• Precision lamination processes that maintain layer alignment and uniformity in the board, a feature that is critical for mmWave designs.
• Best practice RF routing techniques, such as keeping traces short, matching impedance, and using via barriers to isolate noise and minimise signal loss.

2. Precision Assembly and Inspection

At 5G frequencies, even minor physical defects can disrupt RF performance. This makes the assembly phase a critical part of ensuring signal integrity.

Key EMS capabilities in this area include:

• Impedance-controlled PCB manufacturing to ensure that traces maintain consistent width, spacing, and copper thickness.
• Micro-soldering for miniature components like RF filters, PA modules, and antenna switches, where precision placement affects performance.
• X-ray inspection to verify hidden joints that are critical for RF performance.

These capabilities are essential because poor solder connections, misaligned filters, or inconsistent trace layouts can compromise the performance of the 5G device, or even lead to signal failure.

3. RF Testing and Validation

Unlike conventional, non-wireless electronics, 5G devices must undergo extensive RF-specific testing to validate real-world performance.

Strong EMS partners invest in:

• Antenna performance measurement (gain, radiation patterns, efficiency).
• EMI/EMC pre-compliance testing, helping devices pass regulatory certification faster.
• Vector network analyser (VNA) checks to confirm transmission and reflection characteristics.
• Signal integrity and power integrity (SI/PI) measurements to detect distortion or noise issues.
• AOI and X-ray inspection tools to validate solder joints and ensure component alignment in the PCB.

These tests identify any issues early, before mass production begins, saving time and costs on redesigns and potential certification failures.

4. 4. Thermal and Mechanical Integration

5G hardware often consumes more power and operates at higher temperatures. Heat directly affects signal stability, component lifetime, and regulatory compliance, making effective thermal management vital for 5G-powered design and manufacturing.

EMS partners address this through:

• Thermal simulation and heat-spreader design, including copper planes, graphite and sheets.
• Optimised mechanical housing to avoid detuning antennas when the casing interacts with RF fields.
• Careful placement of power and RF components to prevent thermal hotspots that degrade signal integrity.
• Use of advanced materials such as thermally conductive adhesives or high-performance TIMs (thermal interface materials).

5G-ready manufacturing requires strong collaboration across RF engineering, mechanical, process, and PCB assembly teams, a key strength offered by advanced EMS providers like PCI.

The Future of 5G Manufacturing

As 5G deployments mature worldwide, the next phase of innovation is already underway. Manufacturers are preparing for new use cases, higher performance expectations, and the eventual transition toward 6G. EMS providers play a critical role in building the hardware foundations that will power this next wave of connectivity.

Delivering high-quality 5G performance requires seamless integration of RF engineering, mechanical design, precision assembly, and advanced testing. PCI brings these disciplines together under one roof, enabling customers to translate complex 5G requirements into reliable, manufacturable products.

We offer:

• Proven experience in designing RF solutions for compact, high-performance applications.
• Advanced RF simulation and testing facilities for design validation.
• Comprehensive services, from PCB assembly to antenna design and EMI mitigation.

We also provide capabilities like electronic hardware design, product design verification, and IoT manufacturing solutions.

Ready to accelerate your 5G ambitions? Connect with PCI to learn how we can help you develop, optimise, and manufacture your next 5G-ready solution.