Like most other PCBs, metal core PCBs have a stack consisting of cores, dielectric or insulation layers, and copper or circuit layers. But unlike other PCBs, it mostly has exposed cores made of metals such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, or copper. The thickness of the metal core may vary depending on different requirements, and the thickness of the metal core is mostly between 1 millimeter and 1.6 millimeters.
Usually, these PCBs only have one layer of copper, but there are also options for multiple layers, although there are not many manufacturers of metal core PCBs. Some of the stacks of these PCBs are as follows:
Single layer metal core: copper dielectric core
This is the most commonly used type of stacking. It is composed of a single wiring layer, hence more commonly referred to as a single-layer metal core PCB. It is a very simple stack, with the metal core isolated from the signal layer by a dielectric layer.
Its manufacturing cost is low and it is widely used in industrial relays and simple LED lighting solutions.
Thermoelectric separation metal core PCB
Thermoelectric separation stack is very similar to single-layer metal core PCB, except that the core is made of copper and the stack allows the core to contact the element body rather than the element pads. The component pads are insulated by dielectric materials to ensure proper electrical isolation and the highest level of thermal efficiency.
This type of PCB is widely used in high-power LEDs. The manufacturing cost of thermoelectric separation PCB is very high, so it is not used for simple LED solutions.
Double layer metal core PCB
Type 1: Copper dielectric copper dielectric core
Do not confuse it with double-sided metal cores. A double-layer metal core PCB is similar to a single-layer PCB, but with an additional copper layer and insulation layer that can be wired. Due to only one layer of copper being exposed, the component can only be placed on one side. It introduces through holes in metal core PCBs, simplifying wiring and achieving more compact and dense designs.
It is used for audio devices such as power modules and amplifiers.
Both sides of the double-sided metal core PCB have exposed copper, so components can be placed on both sides of the PCB. Like double-layer PCBs, it can also utilize vias. This stacking reduces the heat dissipation of the circuit board, but allows for more components to be placed on the PCB.
Manufacturing this type of PCB is more difficult than manufacturing FR4 PCBs.
Double sided metal core PCBs are used for many traditional components, such as hard disk drives and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).
Multi layer metal core PCB
Like double-layer metal core PCBs, multi-layer PCBs have more copper and dielectric layers between the surface copper and the metal core. It is not recommended to manufacture multi-layer metal core PCBs with more than 4 layers (most metal core PCB manufacturers can only manufacture up to 4 layers), as the thermal management of the PCB will be significantly reduced due to the increased spacing and dielectric insulation between components and metal cores. Due to the use of more than 2 layers, blind holes and buried holes can also be used on multi-layer metal core PCBs.
It must be noted that this type of PCB cannot use through-hole components. Multilayer metal core PCB boards are very expensive, and the use of advanced features such as blind holes and buried holes will further increase costs.
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