Today, let’s continue to learn about the difference between aluminum base boards and FR-4 in manufacturing difficulty, application range, and coefficient of thermal expansion.
Manufacturing Difficulty:
The production process of aluminum baseboard involves more process steps and is more complex than that of FR-4. This includes pre-treatment of the aluminum base, plating of the insulating layer, and subsequent processing of the conductive layer. These additional steps increase production costs, making the cost of aluminum baseboard higher than that of FR-4. The production of FR-4 is relatively simple and cost-effective, mainly involving the lamination process of glass fiber cloth and epoxy resin.
Application Range:
Due to its excellent heat dissipation performance, aluminum baseboard is particularly suitable for high-power electronic products such as LED lighting, power supplies, frequency converters, and solar inverters. Heat management in these applications is crucial for product performance and lifespan. FR-4, on the other hand, is widely used in low-power electronic products such as televisions, telephones, and electronic gaming consoles due to its good electrical insulation performance and cost-effectiveness.
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion:
The coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminum baseboard is close to that of copper foil and lower than that of FR-4. This means that during temperature changes, the expansion or contraction between the aluminum baseboard and copper foil is more matched, which helps reduce internal stress and thus improves the quality and reliability of the circuit board. FR-4, with its higher coefficient of thermal expansion, may face greater internal stress in applications with significant temperature changes.
Through the above three aspects, combined with the previous analysis and comparison of thermal conductivity and mechanical strength, we can see the advantages and limitations of FR-4 and aluminum baseboard. Therefore, when choosing the right PCB material, it is necessary to consider a variety of factors, including cost, performance requirements, and application environment, to make a wise choice.
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