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Current IssueThe Hole Truth: Via Integrity in an HDI World
From the drilled hole to registration across multiple sequential lamination cycles, to the quality of your copper plating, via reliability in an HDI world is becoming an ever-greater challenge. This month we look at “The Hole Truth,” from creating the “perfect” via to how you can assure via quality and reliability, the first time, every time.
In Pursuit of Perfection: Defect Reduction
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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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Happy’s Tech Talk #40: Factors in PTH Reliability—Hole Voids
07/09/2025 | Happy Holden -- Column: Happy’s Tech TalkWhen we consider via reliability, the major contributing factors are typically processing deviations. These can be subtle and not always visible. One particularly insightful column was by Mike Carano, “Causes of Plating Voids, Pre-electroless Copper,” where he outlined some of the possible causes of hole defects for both plated through-hole (PTH) and blind vias.
Trouble in Your Tank: Can You Drill the Perfect Hole?
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The Evolution of Picosecond Laser Drilling
06/19/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIs it hard to imagine a single laser pulse reduced not only from nanoseconds to picoseconds in its pulse duration, but even to femtoseconds? Well, buckle up because it seems we are there. In this interview, Dr. Stefan Rung, technical director of laser machines at Schmoll Maschinen GmbH, traces the technology trajectory of the laser drill from the CO2 laser to cutting-edge picosecond and hybrid laser drilling systems, highlighting the benefits and limitations of each method, and demonstrating how laser innovations are shaping the future of PCB fabrication.
Day 2: More Cutting-edge Insights at the EIPC Summer Conference
06/18/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007The European Institute for the PCB Community (EIPC) summer conference took place this year in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 3-4. This is the third of three articles on the conference. The other two cover Day 1’s sessions and the opening keynote speech. Below is a recap of the second day’s sessions.
Day 1: Cutting Edge Insights at the EIPC Summer Conference
06/17/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007The European Institute for the PCB Community (EIPC) Summer Conference took place this year in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 3-4. This is the second of three articles on the conference. The other two cover the keynote speeches and Day 2 of the technical conference. Below is a recap of the first day’s sessions.