Metal Core PCB Capabilities & Specifications
The copper-base and aluminium-base process capability sheets, presented complete and as supplied by engineering. The two substrates have substantially different process windows, so every row states which base it applies to — figures are not interchangeable.
Metal core PCB process capability tables
| Item | Parameter | Process capability parameter |
|---|---|---|
| Base type & construction | Copper-base type | 1L, 2L, 4-layer, thermoelectric separation; composite type (FR4 + copper base); 1L resin plugged holes |
| Copper-base layer count | 1-4 layers (composite type up to 10 layers) | |
| Aluminium-base layer count | 1, 2 or 4 layers | |
| Aluminium-base quality grade | IPC Class 2 | |
| Dimensions & thickness | Copper-base max panel size | 600×1500mm |
| Aluminium-base max size | 1 & 2 layers: 1200×300mm or 600×500mm; multilayer: 600×500mm | |
| Copper-base board thickness | 0.3mm-5mm | |
| Aluminium-base board thickness | 0.8mm-2.0mm | |
| Dielectric thermal conductivity | Copper base 1-12 W/m·K; aluminium base 1, 2, 3, 8 or 12 W/m·K | |
| Copper weight | Copper base 1/2oz-12oz; aluminium base 1, 2, 3 or 4oz | |
| Drilling & slotting | Copper-base min hole size | 1.0mm (composite type down to 0.2mm) |
| Aluminium-base min plated hole | ≥0.2mm | |
| Aluminium-base min non-plated hole | ≥0.8mm | |
| Copper-base min slot width | 1.2mm | |
| Hole position deviation | ±0.075mm | |
| Aperture tolerance | PTH ±0.075mm; NPTH ±0.05mm | |
| Max counterbore hole size | 7.5mm | |
| Conductors | Copper base min trace/space (1/2oz) | 0.075mm / 0.075mm |
| Copper base min trace/space (1oz) | 0.1mm / 0.1mm | |
| Copper base min trace/space (2oz) | 0.2mm / 0.2mm | |
| Aluminium base min trace/space | 4 mil / 4 mil | |
| Solder mask & silkscreen | Solder mask colour | White, green, black, yellow, red, blue, purple, matte green, matte black, none |
| Min solder mask bridge | 0.1mm | |
| Solder mask registration accuracy | ±0.076mm | |
| Silkscreen colour | Black, yellow, white, grey, etc. | |
| Min character size | Height 1.0mm / width 0.1mm | |
| Profiling & V-cut | V-cut angle | 20°, 30°, 45° |
| Min spacing between V-cuts | 3.5mm | |
| Min V-cut start/end distance | 15mm | |
| V-cut depth tolerance | ±0.05mm | |
| V-cut position offset tolerance | ±0.1mm | |
| CNC routing dimension tolerance | ±0.13mm | |
| CNC routing min slot width | 1.0mm | |
| Outline routing dimension tolerance | ±0.10mm | |
| Min round hole diameter | 1× board thickness | |
| Min square hole size | 1.5× board thickness × 1.5× board thickness | |
| Surface finish & options | Copper-base surface finish | Lead-free HASL, immersion tin, immersion gold, OSP, immersion silver, ENEPIG |
| Aluminium-base surface finish | HASL with lead, lead-free HASL, immersion gold, OSP, hard gold, ENEPIG, immersion silver, none | |
| Other options | Countersinks, castellated holes, custom stack-up |
Related pages
Metal core PCB product page
How heat spreading works, choosing a base material and typical applications.
Aluminium PCB
The most widely used metal core type in LED lighting and power electronics.
Manufacturing Tolerance
General manufacturing tolerances for holes, outline, trace width and mask registration.