Is PCB thickness important?
For circuit boards, thickness is a very important criterion. Therefore, even if there is no single "official" standard, there are some common and preferred sizes. In some cases, your contract manufacturer (CM) may recommend that you comply with one of the following standards in order to tailor the functionality of your design equipment, reduce costs and/or minimize circuit board turnaround time. Let us first look at the standard PCB thickness, and then discuss the issues that should be considered before choosing a non-standard or custom PCB thickness.
What is the standard PCB thickness?
Many contract manufacturers may say that the standard PCB thickness is 1.57 mm, or about 0.062 inches. This is correct to a certain extent. Obviously, this is the size of the bakelite board manufactured in the early stage of circuit board manufacturing, and the size has been fixed. Therefore, we can call it the historical standard PCB thickness. Today, the size of circuit boards is larger or smaller than this standard, but this standard may still be the most common thickness in design.
Nowadays, it is more accurate to say that there are a series of common or standard PCB thicknesses. These include 0.031 inches (0.78 mm), 0.062 inches (1.57 mm) and 0.093 inches (2.36 mm). Depending on your PCB manufacturing options and assembly services, you may be able to manufacture circuit boards with other thicknesses. When determining PCB thickness, many of the following design and manufacturing factors need to be considered.
Design factors affecting PCB thickness
Copper thickness
Sheet
Quantity PCB layer
signal type
Through hole type
Operating environment
Manufacturing factors affecting PCB thickness
Drilling equipment
Copper thickness
Number of layers
De-panelization method
What if I want to customize the thickness?
PCBs are made of thin plates or panels and can be easily provided in common sizes. Your CM is more likely to own these stocks, or get them quickly. There may be other sizes, but they are limited by the processing capacity of the CM equipment, not to mention delays or delayed delivery times. Similarly, if your design requires unusual board thicknesses, you may be limited by the performance of the CM equipment and slowed down by the time required to purchase the boards or panels from the manufacturer. If you choose a custom PCB thickness, you should consider these factors as well as the other factors listed below.
Factors to consider when customizing PCB thickness
Factor 1: CM's equipment function
The first thing to consider is whether your CM has the equipment to manufacture the required plate thickness. The determination should be made early in the design process, as required by the Design of Manufacturing (DFM). Otherwise, you may be forced to make modifications and redesign your PCB layout.
Factor 2: Extend the turnaround time
There is usually a delay in obtaining unusual PCB thicknesses. You should consider how this will affect your development quality and delivery schedule.
Factor 3: additional costs
Last but not least, you need to evaluate the additional costs incurred by special materials, manufacturing, and any lost man-hours to determine whether the additional costs are acceptable.
Sometimes it is better to follow the standard curriculum, while in other cases it is better to customize it. When it comes to PCB thickness, you really have a choice. Using standard PCB thickness is likely to result in faster and cheaper manufacturing of your circuit board. However, if you choose a custom thickness, you should ensure that your CM has a specific thickness. Capabilities Your design may require.
