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Heavy Copper PCBs: Bridging the Gap Between Design and Fabrication, Part 1
April 1, 2024 | Yash Sutariya, Saturn Electronics ServicesEstimated reading time: 1 minute

They call me Sparky. This is due to my talent for getting shocked by a variety of voltages and because I cannot seem to keep my hands out of power control cabinets. While I do not have the time to throw the knife switch to the off position, that doesn’t stop me from sticking screwdrivers into the fuse boxes. In all honesty, I’m lucky to be alive. Fortunately, I also have a talent for building high-voltage heavy copper circuit boards. Since this is where I spend most of my time, I can guide you through some potential design for manufacturability (DFM) hazards you may encounter with heavy copper design.
I have always perceived the term “heavy copper” as a printed circuit board with layers containing at least three ounces of finished copper. Recently, I’ve noticed a peculiar trend. We see monikers being used to describe higher copper weights (think 10-ounce, 20-ounce) that are seemingly pulled right out of a ’90s-era Mountain Dew commercial: “extreme copper” or “super copper.” I’m trying to coin the term “stupid crazy copper,” but somehow, I don’t think it will stick.
These are all fabricated descriptions to highlight achievements in building PCBs beyond our industry’s standards. There is no standard definition for heavy copper from IPC, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun designing and building these beasts of the PCB world.
No matter what you call them or how you define them, we can all agree on why we use them. Heavy copper boards increase current carrying capacity and decrease circuit failures by reducing thermal resistance. To reduce layer count, some will contain more copper on the inner layers than the outer; moreover, some will even have different amounts of copper on the same layer. They can also function as a heat sink thanks to plated vias and their capacity to carry a higher current and heat through the board. Above all, they have eliminated the need for those complex wired buss configurations that C-3PO was forced to endure.
To read the rest of this article, which appeared in the March 2024 issue of Design07 Magazine, click here.
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Elephantech: For a Greener Tomorrow
04/16/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineNobuhiko Okamoto is the global sales and marketing manager for Elephantech Inc., a Japanese startup with a vision to make electronics more sustainable. The company is developing a metal inkjet technology that can print directly on the substrate and then give it a copper thickness by plating. In this interview, he discusses this novel technology's environmental advantages, as well as its potential benefits for the PCB manufacturing and semiconductor packaging segments.
Trouble in Your Tank: Organic Addition Agents in Electrolytic Copper Plating
04/15/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankThere are numerous factors at play in the science of electroplating or, as most often called, electrolytic plating. One critical element is the use of organic addition agents and their role in copper plating. The function and use of these chemical compounds will be explored in more detail.
IDTechEx Highlights Recyclable Materials for PCBs
04/10/2025 | IDTechExConventional printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing is wasteful, harmful to the environment and energy intensive. This can be mitigated by the implementation of new recyclable materials and technologies, which have the potential to revolutionize electronics manufacturing.
Connect the Dots: Stop Killing Your Yield—The Hidden Cost of Design Oversights
04/03/2025 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsI’ve been in this industry long enough to recognize red flags in PCB designs. When designers send over PCBs that look great on the computer screen but have hidden flaws, it can lead to manufacturing problems. I have seen this happen too often: manufacturing delays, yield losses, and designers asking, “Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner?” Here’s the thing: Minor design improvements can greatly impact manufacturing yield, and design oversights can lead to expensive bottlenecks. Here’s how to find the hidden flaws in a design and avoid disaster.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Tariffs and Supply Chains in U.S. Electronics Manufacturing
04/01/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOChris Mitchell, VP of Global Government Relations for IPC, discusses IPC's concerns about tariffs on copper and their impact on U.S. electronics manufacturing. He emphasizes the complexity of supply chains and the need for policymakers to understand their effects.