Aluminum PCB, Construction, Working, Types & Applications

Hello, friends, I hope all of you are enjoying your life. In today’s tutorial, we will have a look at Aluminum PCB. The word PCB is the abbreviation of the printed circuit board this circuitry now using in almost each and every electronic device and engineering project. From your calculator to GPS (Global Positioning System) all consists of a printed circuit board. With the construction, there are numerous types of PCB such as single sided PCB, double Sided, Multilayer PCB, Flex PCB, Rigid PCB, and Rigid Flex PCB. In today’s post, we will have a look at another category of PCB called Aluminum PCB.

The other name of this board is aluminum clad, metal clad printed circuit board, IMS, etc. This board consists of a thin sheet of conductive dielectric substance. The first time these printed circuit boards were invented in the year of 1970 and due to their different features and easy to handle capability there use become very common in different projects. It was the first time used in amplifier Hybrid ICs. In today’s post, we will have a look at its construction, working, applications, and some other related parameters. So let’s get started with what is Aluminum PCB.

Aluminum PCB

• Aluminum PCB is constructed by aluminum and has a high heat dissipation factor so it mostly used in lighting products like light-emitting diodes.
• This module has 2 sides on the first side that is white in color is have numerous light-emitting diodes and the other side aluminum is used.

• There are normally single-sided aluminum printed circuit boards comprises 3 different layers first one copper foil, the second one is an insulated sheet and the third one is metal.
• But if there are double-sided circuit board then it has a circuitry layer, insulating layer, aluminum-based layer, circuitry layer.
• But very rarely multilayer circuit board is used that is constructed by the normal multiple layer board having insulated layers and aluminum-based material.
• In past aluminum-based substrate was constructed by the fiberglass but due to its low heat bearable capability it was replaced with the aluminum but in some other applications, a substrate is still constructed with the fiberglass.
• If we compare FR-4 (flame retardant) with the aluminum base material then aluminum decreases the thermal resistance value
• In heat transfer applications, to fulfill the needs of the manufacturing process, occasionally by decreasing the thermal resistance for the increment of heat transfer, and sometimes there is an increment in the value of thermal resistance to overturning heat transfer, the aluminum substrate has outstanding thermal conductivity, if we do its comparison with thick-film ceramic circuitry, its mechanical features are very outstanding. 

Types of Aluminum PCB

• There are many types of this circuitry board according to construction and designing. The main function of all types is alike and used to reduce the high temperature produce in different circuits.

• These are some types of aluminum PCB.
  • Flexible Aluminum PCB
  • Hybrid Aluminum PCB
  • Multilayer Aluminum PCB

Flexible Aluminum PCB

• This type of aluminum printed circuit board comprises 3 different layers first one conductive circuitry layer, flex dielectric insulation material and the third one is an aluminum substrate.

• The insulation layer is constructed by the polyamide and ceramic plasters (fillers), has a higher value thermal conductivity, permitting it to transmit heat from the circuit to the aluminum substrate, where the heat energy scatters.
• These are some advantages of this printed circuit board.

Heat Transfer:

• Due to the insulation layer and aluminum, this board has high thermal competences. The conductive dielectric layer can transfer heat up to ten times more efficiently than fiberglass, avoiding destruction from overheating and permitting circuitry boards to tackle large value of currents.

Less weight:

• As the weight of aluminum is very less so this PCB is also exiting in less weight modules.

Durable:

• Due to their flexible behavior, this board operating life is longer as compared to other printed circuit boards.

Less Price:

• As there is no need for special machines for the reformation of aluminum, so it makes cost-effective can easily be designed this PCB board.

Hybrid Aluminum PCB

• In this printed circuit board, insulating or nor thermal substance is processed separately before joining with the aluminum substrate.
• For this board, FR-4 flame resistance is used to construct it having two and four layers.
• A non-thermal substance used for construction provides high stiffness and provides dissipation of heat.
• This nonthermal attachment is referred above using all thermal constituents since its the price is less and provides effectual heat conductance over FR4 yields.
• There is no need for any heat sink for the production of this PCB.

Multilayer Aluminum PCB

• Multilayer aluminum printed circuit board is mostly used in power supplies modules and has a large no of heat conductive dielectric materials.
• Insulated metal substrate covered by the sheet of a dielectric material like epoxy and copper layer.

Construction of Aluminum PCB

• Aluminum printed circuit boards are aluminum-based CCLs (Copper Clad Laminate) that are based on the material used for printed circuit boards. The structure of the aluminum printed circuit board is alike to the FR-4 Flame resistant printed circuit board.

• The basic designing of the aluminum printed circuit board has 4 layers. That is a copper foil, dielectric material, layer of aluminum and aluminum-based membrane.

Copper Foil:

• This copper foil has a larger thickness than normal CCLs (Copper Clad Laminate) such as one ounce to ten ounces.
• The term thickness tells about the current-carrying capability.

Dielectric Layer:

• This layer is a thermally conductive and its thickness is about fifty micrometers to two hundred micrometers. This layer provides less value of heat resistance.
• Aluminum Base: The 3^rd layer is the base that is constructed by the aluminum substrate and provides a higher value of heat conductivity.

Aluminum Membrane:

• This layer is optional it provides protection to the aluminum from scratching and undesired corrosion.

Advantages of Aluminum PCB

• These are some important advantages of an aluminum-based printed circuit board.
• The use of aluminum for PCB construction is nonhazardous mean environment-friendly and aluminum can be easily recycled. There is no need for special manufacturing tools for aluminum so its use is cost-effective.
• In any electronic circuitry heat production cause a lot of problems so we should use such material that can easily bear heat aluminum is the best option for such circuitry.
• The operating life of the aluminum is larger than the fiberglass and ceramic materials used for PCB production.

• The main feature of it that makes effective for the production of a printed circuit board is its less weight.

Applications of Aluminum PCB

• Now we describe some practical applications of the aluminum printed circuit board.
• All types of amplifiers circuits used in electronic industries consist of this board like input, output amplifiers, acoustic amplifiers, etc.
• Different power supply modules like switching regulators, analog to digital converters, etc use aluminum PCB for circuit construction.
• Your computer motherboard, floppy disk, also consists of this circuit board.
• Different inverters, relays, rectifiers have also consisted of this circuit board.
• Different types of light-emitting diodes also comprise an aluminum circuit board.

Related Posts

• Aluminum PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
• Multilayer PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
• Rigid PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
• Flex PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
• High Frequency PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
• Single Sided PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
• Rigid-Flex PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
• Double sided PCB (Printed Circuit Board)

This is the complete post on the aluminum PCB I have mentioned each and every parameter related to his PCB board. If you have any queries about this module ask in comments. Thanks for reading. see you in the next tutorial.