Electronic components can overheat. Whether the components are in a cell phone, computer or e-reader, any electronic equipment that has a circuit board generates heat and needs a way to draw that heat away without burning out the systems. Some equipment has a built-in fan. Other equipment relies on printed circuit boards with metal cores to manage heat distribution.
Thermal Conductivity Property
The properties of PCB require heat management to transfer heat into a thermal sink that allows electronic components to function within their maximum heat limit. This heat limit for circuits permits them to function to their specified performance without undergoing logic problems. For PCB components, certain materials have a thermal conductivity where the material can absorb and disperse heat without wearing out or reducing its shelf life.
Metal layers
PCB circuits with metal cores consist of layers of metal material sandwiched together. One layer insulates important electronic components while the other acts as a heat spreader to spread out the generated heat so it can dissipate. The type of material used for the layers is based on how the electronic components will be used. Metal core PCB used in smaller applications where a light weight is required has aluminum as a heat spreader layer. Aluminum offers a lighter dissipation of heat. Stronger heat dissipation, regardless of weight, may have copper as the heat spreader in the metal core PCB layer.
MCPCB Construction
Manufacturers create metal core PCB in different ways for the ever increasing needs of the market. Metal core PCB comes in one-layer and two-layer applications. The single-layer PCB consists of a thermal conductive laminate. The two-layer PCB has the thermal conductive laminate and the metal core base pressed together. Another layer, called a dielectric, lies between the laminate and the metal core base. This composite material is a bonding layer and offers a secondary protective barrier for heat conduction.
Thermal Laminate
The metal core PCB with the dielectric layer offers a strong insulation resistance to heat along with a high adhesion for the laminate and metal core base. It decomposes very slowly from the temperature, allowing the PCB to function within a high temperature environment without acquiring defects. The thermal laminate layer also has fillers, such as ceramics, to increase the thermal conductivity. The type of filler is dependent on the manufacturer and production of the metal core laminates. The filler's hardness can effect equipment and wear out machine drill bits.
