Thick Copper PCBs
Thick copper PCBs are an essential tool for applications that require high power, current handling and heat dissipation. This type of circuit board features an increased copper thickness, which translates to higher current carrying capacity and a lower impedance. Thick copper is also more durable, making it a great option for applications in challenging physical environments.
The main function of a PCB is to carry electrical signals through etched copper tracks. This is done using a computer-aided design program (CAD), and the design will specify the number of layers, copper trace width and where heavy copper will be placed. The resulting circuit board is then manufactured.
PCBs have to dissipate a lot of heat from the heating of components in their operation, or else they will experience overheating and failure. This is why they need a radiator that consumes the heat from the heating components and dissipates it into the surrounding environment through thermal conduction, radiation or convection. However, these radiators are expensive to develop and manufacture and require a significant amount of space. Hence, the development of thick copper pcb was introduced to reduce the cost and space requirements while still maintaining their superior heat dissipation capability.
Advantages of Thick Copper PCBs
A typical PCB is designed with a copper layer that is 1oz per square foot or 2oz per inch. The term “heavy” refers to a copper weight that is greater than this, which is typically used in circuit boards designed for high power or high current applications. These types of circuit boards are sometimes referred to as EXTREME Copper Printed Circuit Boards.
Typically, they feature copper weights of 3 oz or more per layer. This is a significant increase in current carrying capacity over a standard PCB. The advantages of thick copper PCBs are numerous and can be seen in the following.
High-speed: Thicker copper increases the signal speed of a circuit board, which is particularly important in high-speed communications devices and computers that need to transfer large amounts of data quickly. This is because thinner copper has a higher resistance, which slows down the transmission of information.
Durability: The durability of a PCB is an important factor in its reliability, especially in challenging environments where the board may be exposed to vibrations and shocks. A thicker copper board is much more resistant to these conditions, which is an advantage in many industries, such as automotive or aerospace.
The higher conductor densities offered by thick copper PCBs allow for more circuitry to be fit in a smaller space. This, in turn, enables the manufacturer to reduce the size of the final product. This also improves the overall performance of a device and increases its reliability. It is for these reasons that thick copper PCBs are increasingly being used in the power electronics industry, including in motor controllers, UPS systems and rail traction control systems. They are also being used in medical devices to improve their reliability and performance. Increasing the copper thickness on a PCB can also help to eliminate the need for multiple layers, which helps in reducing the cost of manufacturing and lowering the overall footprint of the device.