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 practise 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)

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