Metal Core PCB / MCPCB

MCPCB, Metal Core PCB, thermal PCB - whichever name you prefer, they are all boards which use a base metal material as the heat spreader portion of the circuit board.

Base metals in the MCPCB are used as an alternative to FR4 or CEM3 boards for the ability to dissipate heat away from critical board components and to less crucial areas such as the metal heatsink backing or metallic core.

Metal Core PCB Materials  and Thickness

The metal core of the thermal PCB can be aluminum (aluminum core PCB), copper (copper core PCB or a heavy copper PCB) or a mixture of special alloys. The most common is an aluminum core PCB.

The thickness of metal cores in PCB base plates is typically 30 mil - 125 mil, but thicker and thinner plates are possible.

MCPCB copper foil thickness can be 1 - 10 oz.

Advantages of Metal Core PCB

MCPCBs can be advantageous to use for their ability to integrate a dielectric polymer layer with a high thermal conductivity for a lower thermal resistance.

Metal core PCBs transfer heat 8 to 9 times faster than FR4 PCBs. MCPCB laminates dissipate heat, keeping heat generating components cooler which results in increased performance and life.

Metal Core PCB uses - LED Applications and More

Applications that generate a large amount of heat often cannot be adequately cooled using just traditional fans. Conductive cooling through metal core PCBs are an ideal production option.

MCPCBs are most widely found in LED technologies, as they reduce the number of LEDs required to produce a specific illumination. Light emitting diodes release a great amount of heat in applications such as:

Heavy Copper Core PCB Photo Credit: Robert Tarzwell

• Back light unit applications
• Street safety applications (streetlights, lighting, etc.)
• General lighting applications
• System automotive LED applications
• Power converters:  telecom, industrial, high voltage regulator, power supplies
• Hybrid/electric motor control applications
• Photovoltaic

Using a metal core PCB in these LED products and applications help to greatly reduce the heat emitted.

Other applications that are ideal for MCPCB integration are solar panels and motion control applications.

MCPCB Design and MCPCB Fabrication

The manufacturing process and design rules are similar to conventional PCBs. We provide metal core pcb prototype fabrication and mcpcb production quantities for both aluminum core and heavy copper PCBs.
Thermal management PCBs or MCPCBs are processed with standard SMT assembly equipment in the PCB manufacturing process.

Call us at 650.655.7202 or get an instant PCB quote.
We are ready and eager to turn your concepts into reality, from PCB design to flex circuit boards manufacturing.

Metal Core Printed Circuit Board - Close-up Photo Credit: Robert Tarzwell