Key facts
- Micro drill bits, made with tungsten carbide, bore micro-holes in printed circuit boards and chip substrates, per Nikkei.
- Nikkei reported that China's export controls on critical metals have disrupted supplies of the drill bits.
- The report said the price of the key tool has risen following the controls.
China's export controls on critical metals have disrupted supplies of micro drill bits, small components used in the AI chip supply chain, Nikkei reported on November 5, 2026. The report said the controls have sent the price of the key tool higher and described the disruption as the latest example of geopolitical friction reaching the global technology industry.
Micro drill bits are made with tungsten carbide and are used to bore micro-holes in printed circuit boards and chip substrates, according to the report. Nikkei published photographs of bits made by Taiwan's Topoint.
The report did not state the size of the price increase, the volume of supply affected or the specific measures China has taken.