Metal Core PCB Manufacturer

Although the LED industry has developed tremendously, quick and effective heat dissipation of the LED boards has remained a concerning issue to most manufacturers. Since the LED board sees heat rise rapidly, it needs to be dissipated quickly to save the circuit board.

The application of metal core PCB has helped solve this LED issue to a great extent. However, not all metal core PCB manufacturers can provide you with high-quality, reliable, flawless, and durable metal core PCBs.

You need to look at a few factors of the manufacturer for metal core PCB to decide which supplier is going to meet the high-end requirements for the devices. Plus, you might be keen to learn the advantages and manufacturing process of metal core PCB briefly.

This write-up comes with the answer to all these super-important questions.

Our Recommended Metal Core PCB

Metal core PCBs (MCPCBs) are circuit boards with a metal substrate layer that have superior thermal conductivity and are used in high-density circuits to dissipate heat quickly.

They have increased durability, use dielectric polymer layers and take less space on the board than traditional PCBs. They are more effective at dissipating heat than traditional PCBs.

MCPCBs, or metal core PCBs, are circuit boards with a metal substrate layer. Aluminum, copper, and steel alloy are the three most often utilized MCPCB metals.

The most economical PCBs are those made of aluminum; they are inexpensive and have superior thermal conductivity and capability.

What Is Metal Core PCB?

A metal core printed circuit board is also referred to as MCPCB or thermal PCB. The name comes from its metal incorporated base. The metal base diverts and dissipates the heat generated in the circuit board quickly and fast to safeguard the electrical and electronic components.

The metal base actually diverts the excessive heat from the more important circuit board components to the less important areas on the same board. These areas include metallic core and heat sink backing locations mostly.

Hence, in short, the metal core PCB is used to manage the excessive heat generated in the circuit board components.

If it is a multilayer PCB, each layer will have an even distribution of the metalcore. For instance, in a 4-layer MCPCB, two layers will be on the top and the other two on the bottom of the metalcore. It will allow the metal core PCB to manage and dissipate the heat evenly and quickly. It protects the components and expands their lifespan.

Metal core PCB has several names in the industry-

IMS or insulated metal substrate
IMPCB or insulated metal PCBs
Thermal clad PCB
Metal clad PCB

Metal Core PCB Manufacturing

Metalcore PCB comprises different manufacturing stages. Its structure includes-

Solder mask
Circuit layer
Copper layer
Dielectric layer
Metal core layer

The copper layer varies from 1oz to 6oz, mostly. The metal layer is used as a heat spreader or sink. Depending on the number of layers the MCPCB has, the copper layer is adjusted to make space for the multiple layers.

If the LED MCPCB is single-sided the copper foil will attach to the dielectric material. It is thermally conductive to dissipate the heat quickly. Then another metal layer will attach with the existing dielectric layer. This metal layer can be-

Aluminum 5052: It has 138 thermal conductivity (W/mK) and 25 coefficient of thermal expansion (µm/m-°C)
Copper C1100: Its thermal conductivity (W/mK) is 386 and coefficient of thermal expansion(µm/m-°C) is 17.
Aluminum 6061: Its thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion are respectively 167 and 25.

The manufacturing tips of MCPCB includes the following suggestions-

If you plan to develop single-layer SMT designs, the design should follow the standard single-layer PCB construction. You don’t need to experiment with it.
For 2-layer MCPCB there will be an aluminum core inside. The manufacturing process including pre-drilling and which is highly costly. The other steps include filling up the gap with insulation and then, finally, re-drill the holes. These plated through holes are used to avoid shorts.
If the MCPCB comprises 2 or more layers, it should follow the standard PCB manufacturing process. It uses an essential thermal dielectric layer instead of the standard FR4 layer. It also has a laminated metal plate. Manufacturers will attach it to the bottom of the layer. It is used as a medium for thermal transferring to keep the components safe.

The metal core PCB is a brilliant solution when it comes to cooling off multi-layer

The Best Metal Core PCB Manufacturer:

You should already realize that manufacturing MCPCB isn’t an easy-going task. Hence, you must opt for the right metal core printed circuit board manufacturer. It will help you expand the lifespan and quality of your produced devices.

The manufacturer must use premium aluminum or copper as the dielectric material. FX PCB uses only the laboratory tested and premium copper or aluminum. It will withstand the excess heat to protect the circuit board components.
The manufacturer needs to have proper experience in different PCB producing. If the manufacturer lacks experience, it would fail to identify the needs of the growing metal core PCB industry. FX PCB with its 10+ years of experience in the PCB industry excels in producing various types of MCPCB.
The manufacturer needs to deliver the ordered supplies within the timeframe. Also, the supplier should have flexible schemes for both bulk amounts and customized orders.

FX PCB promisesto offer the best budget-friendly metal core PCB schemes without any drop intheir quality and performance. Hence, you can expect the best MCPCB manufacturing with us.

Advantages and Applications of Metal Core PCB:

The most practical benefits and advantages of MCPCB includes the following ones-

The metal core has higher thermal conductivity. So, it dissipates the heat quicker.
The metal base will control the heat of the components for better IC management.
Metal core PCBs use copper or aluminum instead of ceramic core. So, the metal core PCB is lighter than most other types of PCBs.
MCPCB is manufactured from non-toxic metals. It is also safe for health. So, you can use them safely with any device.
The metal-clad is more durable and thermally conductive compared to the epoxy bases. So, you can depend on them for long-lasting applications.

The applications of metal core PCB include-

In LED for general and backlight units
In automotive industries especially for hybrid cars
Devices used in power supplies such as converters, switching regulators, and voltage regulators.
In solar panels and motion control sensors.
The solid-state relays also use the metal core PCBs.

Final Words

Metal core PCBs have broughta revolution in the printed circuit board industry, especially, in LED devices. But for the best devices, you also need to opt for the right metal core PCB manufacturer. You can rely on FX PCB to get your right and required MCPCB supplies.

Also, the metal core PCBs are highly dependable for heat-dissipating and heat management to prolong the lifespan of devices. So, it is the future of the PCB industry.

Peter Gong

I am Peter Gong. I have been working in PCB and PCBA industry for 15+ years now. I have been a part of the PCB revolution with my dedication to circuit board technologies and creative ideas. I write in FX PCB to impart my knowledge on PCB and PCBA for all circuit board lovers, manufacturers, and users.