Introduction of heavy copper pcbs
Heavy copper pcbs are printed circuit boards with 3 or more ounces of finished copper in the inner and/or outer layers.Thick copper/customized heavy copper pcb also known as Power Supply PCB is manufactured with its copper weight between 3-20oz/ft2. Copper with weight above 20oz/ft2 are also possible and are referred to as extreme copper. The increased copper weight combined with a suitable substrate with thicker plating for the through holes transforms the once unreliable and weak PCB into a durable and reliable wiring platform.
How Are Heavy Copper PCBs Made?
Rocket PCB utilizes a unique process referred to as “Laminated Deposition”. This combination of processes allows extreme copper thickness requirements to become very practical and cost effective. The process utilizes heavy base copper that delivers consistent and reliable high power circuits when placed in our plating and etching systems, allowing us to produce well-defined track edges, finer lines, and finer spaces.
Adavantages of Heavy Copper PCBs
Elimination of complex wired buss configurations
Optimized use of exotic high temperature materials with lower probability of circuit failure
Ability to incorporate multiple copper weights on the same layer of circuitry (layer count reduction)
Increased current carrying capacity
Increased endurance to thermal strains
Added copper plating in the heat vias (thermal resistance reduction)
Selective areas plated with heavy copper can function as a heat sink or interface to cold plate (built-in heat sinks)
Integration of high-current circuits and control circuits on a single PCB
Applications of Heavy Copper PCBs
Demand for heavy copper-clad circuits in automotive, computer, industrial controls, and military is growing very fast. More than 80% of the existing PCB manufacturers are limited or not capable of producing reliable heavy copper printed circuit boards.
Solar power converters
Safety and signal systems
Renewable energies and storage pumping plants
Torque controls
High power rectifiers
Overload relays
Power converters for railway systems
Power line monitors
Traction converters for rail applications
UPS systems
Electric vehicle charging (commercial and industrial)
Protection relays
Excitation systems for power regulators
Position control systems
Power grid switching systems
HVAC systems
Energy storage and power grid back up
Nuclear power applications
Line reactors
Hydro-electric plants
Surge protectors
Fuse blocks
Welding Equipment
Weapons control systems
Radar systems
The driver behind the demand of copper PCBs is ever increasing power, performance, and cost requirements. Known in the industry as the copper pcb manufacturers, Rocket PCB has been manufacturing PCBs with heavy copper plating since 2002 and we are capable of producing 20 plus ounces of finished copper and reliably spray coat a protective and consistent solder mask with imaged nomenclature. An extreme copper circuit could utilize 6 oz. in the hole walls and 20 oz. surface copper.
