OKI launches EMS offering for AI server equipment

The company said the new EMS covers the full production chain, including design and manufacturing of large multilayer PCBs, component sourcing, assembly, testing and rework. The offering is aimed at manufacturers of AI server systems, with OKI targeting sales of JPY 1 billion (EUR 5.4 million) in fiscal year 2026.

The service is built around OKI’s proprietary heat dissipation technology, designed to support high-speed, high-capacity data transmission in AI applications. It also enables handling of large-format, multilayer PCBs used for advanced semiconductors, including components with more than 10,000 pins.

According to the company, demand for AI server hardware is increasing rapidly, driven by the growth of generative AI workloads, which require significantly higher compute resources compared with conventional cloud services. This has led to increased deployment of densely populated boards integrating components such as GPUs and high-bandwidth memory.

OKI highlighted several manufacturing challenges associated with AI server production, including thermal management, maintaining placement accuracy, detecting solder defects not visible through automated optical inspection, and managing more complex inspection and traceability requirements. The company also pointed to increasing difficulties in reworking high-value components after assembly, which can affect yields and lead times.

To address these issues, the EMS offering integrates high-density mounting technologies, simulation and manufacturing capabilities for advanced PCBs, as well as X-ray-based solder inspection and automated functional testing. The company also utilises a dedicated rework process combining specialised tooling and manual operations to handle complex semiconductor packages.

OKI states that the new service is intended to improve production yields, reduce failure-related costs and shorten delivery times for AI server equipment manufacturers.