MCPCB, Metal Core PCB, Thermal PCB – whichever the name you prefer, they are all printed circuit boards which use a metal substrate material as the heat spreader portion of the circuit board. MCPCB is also called as Insulated Metal Substrate PCB (/IMS PCB), which includes Aluminum Based PCB and Copper Based PCB. Metal Core PCBs are always single-sided, double-sided, and sometimes have multilayered hybrid type with FR4 material for special applications.

The metal core of the thermal PCB can be aluminum (aluminum core PCB), copper (copper core PCB or a heavy copper PCB) or a mixture of special alloys. The most common is an Aluminum Core PCB. Due to the increasing development of LED lighting, people always call it as LED PCB or Aluminum MCPCB.

The thickness of metal cores in PCB base plates is typically 30mil to 125mil, but thicker and thinner plates are possible. The copper foil on the metal cores can be 1oz to 4oz. MCPCBs can be advantageous to use for their ability to integrate a dielectric polymer layer with a high thermal conductivity for a lower thermal resistance. MCPCBs transfer heat 8 to 9 times faster than FR4 PCBs. MCPCB laminates dissipate heat, keeping heat generating components cooler which results in increased performance and lifespan.

Aluminum and Metal Core PCB Manufacturing Capabilities