Heavy Copper PCBs

Heavy Copper Circuits for High Power Applications

An increasing number of power electronics products are taking advantage of a growing trend in the printed circuit board industry.

PCBs with 3oz or more of finished copper in the inner and/or outer layers are defined as Heavy Copper. Our manufacturing facilities allow Heavy Copper boards to be produced up to 32 layers.

We also have the capability for Extreme Heavy Copper - up to 30oz per layer for 2 layer applications.

Heavy Copper and Extreme Heavy Copper PCB's offer benefits such as:

• Increased endurance to thermal strains.
• Higher current carrying capacity.
• Increased mechanical strength at connector sites and in PTH holes.
• Use of exotic materials to their full potential (i.e., high temperature) without circuit failure.
• Reduced product size by incorporating multiple copper weights on the same layer of circuitry
• Heavy copper plated vias carry higher current through the board and help to transfer heat to an external heatsink.
• On-board heatsinks directly plated onto the board surface using up to 120-oz copper planes.
• On-board high-power-density planar transformers

DK-Daleba can help you with design procedures for Heavy Copper. We can offer track and gap spacing guidance, current-carrying details and best practice guidelines for heavy copper circuits.

Please contact us for further assistance.

Heavy Copper - Introduction

Property	Weight (oz)	Thickness (mm)
Standard Copper	½ - 4	0.018 - 0.14
Heavy Copper	5 - 15	0.175 - 0.525
Extreme Heavy Copper	15 - 70	0.525 - 2.45
Mixed Copper Weights	1 ½ oz and 30 oz on the same layer (Double Sided)	1 ½ oz and 30 oz on the same layer (Double Sided)

• Manufacturing panel size (minimum production is one panel) : 457mm x 610mm gross, 417mm x 570mm net (usable)
• Each circuit to have 3mm border for routing

Applications:

• High Power Distribution
• Planar Transformers
• Power Converters
• Amplification Systems
• Solar Panel Manufactures
• Power Controllers
• Welding Equipment
• Inverters
• Bus bars - Lower Copper Weight - Lower Cost

Heavy Copper - Different copper weights on one layer

• Selected areas of the PCB plated to different copper weights.
• Typically used on external layers of the Heavy Copper PCB.
• Offers package Size Reduction
• By using different copper weights on the same layer, you can have a control section and a power section.
• By reducing the layer count multilayer PCBs can be simplified.

Heavy Copper - Benefits

• Increased Current Carrying Capacity - In addition to this - heavy copper plated vias carry higher current through the board and help to transfer heat to an external heatsink
• Increased Endurance to Thermal Strain - And effective heat dissipation
• Increased Mechanical Strength at Connector Sites and in PTH holes
• Reduced Product Size - By incorporating multiple copper weights on the same layer of circuitry