APTPCB Heavy Copper Manufacturing Services

Design-to-build support covering stackups, copper distribution, plating, and assembly for high-current electronics.

Heavy Copper PCB Types

Single-sided power planes, double-sided converters, multilayer control + power hybrids, and metal-backed modules.

• Single-Sided Heavy Copper – 4–12 oz outer copper for bus bars and power planes.
• Double-Sided Power – Symmetric 6–10 oz copper for converters and power supplies.
• Multilayer Hybrid – Heavy copper outer layers with control inner layers.
• Metal Core / IMS – Aluminum or copper cores bonded to heavy copper traces.
• Embedded Bus Bar – Copper bars or coins buried inside dielectric for ultra-high current.

Via & Thermal Structures

• Thermal Via Arrays: Dense plated vias transfer heat into heatsinks or housings.
• VIPPO: Via-in-pad plated over to tie components directly to thick copper planes.
• Backdrilled Power Vias: Remove stubs to reduce inductance on high-current nets.
• Embedded Copper Coins: Replace thermal vias around hotspots.
• Press-fit Vias: Plated holes sized for studs or terminals.

Sample Heavy Copper Stackups

• 6 mm Single-Sided: 10 oz copper on FR-4 for bus bar replacement.
• 8-Layer Hybrid: 6 oz outer copper, 2 oz inner signal layers, heavy thermal vias.
• Metal-Core Power Module: 4 oz copper on aluminum IMS with plated cavities.

Material & Design Guidelines

Balance heavy copper with high-Tg laminates, resin-coated foils, and controlled prepreg flow to prevent delamination.

• Use high-Tg, high-CTI laminates to handle heat and current.
• Balance copper distribution per layer to prevent bow/twist.
• Plan resin dams and thieving to control plating thickness.
• Specify minimum land widths and spacing for thick copper etch.

Reliability & Validation

Heavy copper boards undergo cross-section analysis, thermal shock, and high-current cycling to validate performance before shipment.

Cost & Application Guidance

• Selective plating: Apply 10–20 oz only where needed, keep signal layers lighter.
• Shared tooling: Reuse proven panel sizes and drill sets to cut lead time.
• Co-design bus bars: Integrate copper bars early to avoid rework.