Choosing The Right PCB Laminate Material For Your Circuit Board

For all printed circuit boards (PCBs), the main component is the base laminate material. Choosing what you need or want to use is not as simple as it sounds. There are many options out there and many flavors that can be used but how do you know what to pick and how do you note it as my item of choice on the fabrication package?

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In this blog post, we will review some of the factors to consider when choosing the right laminate material for your PCB.

PCB Fabrication Drawings

First let’s talk about all rigid PCBs in general, all types, and the option of FR4 or other materials. In all cases, it is best to refer to IPC Standards, IPC- and using the slash (/) number as assigned by IPC. This slash number is an identifier for the criteria that must be met for structural properties and testing results of the printed circuit board. The slash number can be cross-referenced by your PCB supplier to be sure the materials are in stock and met as an equivalent or exceed the properties.

Printed circuit board manufactured with FR4 laminate material.

There are many laminate manufacturers out there that are constantly developing new materials for the production of raw circuit boards. Knowing what criteria are needed for your product and providing the IPC slash number to your supplier allows for options, such as using stock that is on hand, avoiding costly MOQs to purchase specific materials, keeping lead time to a minimum, and purchasing power on commonly used product.

Searching for data sheets is one way to find what you are looking for when it comes to materials, however consulting with your PCB manufacturing facility is also a great option, most will have a list of what their common stock is and should be able to guide you to an appropriate slash number.

PCB Laminate Materials

There are several PCB characteristics or attributes to consider when selecting laminate material for fabrication. Since all printed circuit boards are unique and built-to-print, often the choice is not black or white. So, how do you decide? Consider items like impedance factors, the sum of the resistance and the reactance, simply the flow of the electronic signal from point to point and how it reacts or responds, microwave printed circuit boards, commonly used specialty high-speed materials such as Rogers to meet required values. If the part requires special materials this should be a clear note on the print to include the expectations for impedance layers and Ohms to be met.

High-speed PCB circuits requiring tighter controls for impedance routing the Dk should be considered. Consult your supplier of high-technology printed circuit boards for the best valued and easily accessible laminate to meet your proposed stack-up. There are newer materials that have been introduced to manufacturing that are as good as the most commonly used brands.

Providing a specific stack-up with copper weight values, impedance requirements, and thicknesses to your supplier will allow engineering to evaluate stock against your call out. The sooner you involve your PCB supplier the better.

Lower Technology Circuit Boards

With all the fancy changes in the industry regarding high tech, blind and buried microvias, high layer count, and such, there is still plenty to consider on the lower tech side. We still see many parts at the quote stage that are through hole technology with 1 side surface mount devices on the top. There are still factors to consider for lower technology boards and the appropriate material.

What laminate should you use in this instance? While it is common for customers to be concerned with cost savings on the PCB it is not as easy to cut costs as one would think. Everyone wants the best price but to also still have great quality product and delivery. Saving on the cost of printed circuit boards and skimping on the base laminate, in my opinion, isn’t a good idea. Your base laminate should meet the criteria of the end product assembled. Epec would advise if you have SMDs and are using lead-free surface finish and lead-free components for processing you still should go with a minimum of 170tg for your laminate.

The assembly process for lead-free is much hotter for the leadfree component assembly than it is for leaded or HASL parts. There is a chance of an issue of delamination with a standard FR4. Multiple assembly cycles are sometimes needed to complete the full assembly. Add in rework cycles, hand soldering assembly that has sketchy temperatures, a high-temperature material is best to withstand the processing. If you are getting the lead out, we suggest to always go with higher temperature material. There are many options for lead-free surface finish treatment that can be applied, at Epec we will always quote 170tg.

Summary

Are you searching for a way to get your circuit boards assembled and ready for the masses? Maybe you need to have a large number of boards ready to go for a new product your company is creating. Perhaps you only need a handful of the boards right now for a test run. You might even be looking for a single prototype that you can test. Instead of attempting to take care of the assembly of the boards on your own, you should instead consider professionally printed circuit board assembly. As you will see below, there are some nice advantages when you are using professionals.

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High-Quality Materials and Assembly

When working with a professional company for printed circuit board assembly, they will typically be using the best possible materials and assembly tools for the job. While this may not be true of all companies offering these services, the reputable companies that have been around for a while will. Choosing a company that can offer the best materials and that provides topnotch assembly services helps to ensure that the final product is perfect.

Naturally, you want to be sure that the circuit boards you are using are the best quality they can be before you start to use them or sell them. Choosing professionals rather than trying to assemble them on your own, in-house, will help to ensure this.

Find Errors Early

Even those who have been designing printed circuit boards for years can make mistakes during their design. A mistake that is followed for all of the circuit boards that are constructed would mean a huge error that could cost your company a lot of money. Rather than letting this happen, you could be working with a professional for the printed circuit board assembly.

At AdvancedPCB, for example, we have engineers test the design – even after you have tested it – just to be sure that there are no issues that could crop up down the line. This provides you with the peace of mind you need to go ahead with the full assembly. You will know that the boards will work properly once they have been assembled.

The software that is available through our company is free, and it can do more than just help you design a circuit. It helps to make it easier and reduces the risk of errors. When the boards are submitted, we will check to ensure that they have been designed correctly. The earlier the errors are detected, the better. It means that you can fix those problems before you go into full manufacturing mode.

Save Time

Consider how much time you would be spending if you had to manufacture and assemble all of the PCBs at your own facility. You would need to hire extra people just to keep up with the manufacturing and assembly needs. It would take up a lot of time that could better be spent working on other aspects of your company. It makes far more sense to hire professionals for the printed circuit board assembly. They can take care of the assembly, whether you need one PCB or you are in the market for thousands of boards.

Reduced Manufacturing Costs

Additionally, consider the manufacturing costs that you would have to incur if you assembled the boards on your own. You would need to have a large space available for the printed circuit board assembly. You would have buy all of the materials and tools needed, and more. You would likely be spending far more money than if you had just hired a professional company to take care of the assembly of the boards for you.

You can talk with companies like AdvancedPCB to get an estimate of how much it will cost for the PCBs that are needed. When you compare this with the cost of increasing the size of your facility and hiring more people for the printed circuit board assembly, you will see why outsourcing is such a good idea.

Turnaround Time Can Be Fast

One of the reasons that some companies still consider in-house printed circuit board assembly is because they worry that another company won’t be able to help them meet their deadlines. This is not necessarily true. When you choose a company that is known for having a fast turnaround time, you can get the boards in a matter of days in many cases. Of course, it will depend on just how many of the PCBs are needed and the company you choose for assembly.

Shipped Directly to You

Once the printed circuit board assembly has been completed, the manufacturer can have them shipped right to your door. The shipping time can vary, but when you choose a quality manufacturer like AdvancedPCB, it tends to be fast. This means you will be getting the circuit boards you need quickly.

Choose AdvancedPCB for PCB Needs

Naturally, you will want to be sure that you are choosing only the best for your printed circuit board assembly. You should take the time to consider just what the company offers, along with how fast they will be able to provide you with the completed boards. Price, of course, is another factor. You want to choose a good company that remains affordable and that can provide quality customer service.

Now that you know more about the benefits that are associated with using a professional for printed circuit board assembly, it’s time to find a company that can provide you with what you need. At AdvancedPCB, we strive to provide our customers with the best service and products from start to finish.

Whether you simply need a prototype, you have a short run that you need, or you are looking for a substantial number of boards, we can help. Get in touch with us today.

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