What are Aluminium PCBs?
The long life span of LED lights and less power consumption has made LEDs a useful product. There are certain parameters that play a role in the efficiency of LEDs. One such parameter is choosing the best PCB material for this. Aluminium PCB is considered one of the most suitable choices in such cases. Throughout this article, we will prove that aluminium PCBs are the right choice for LED circuits by presenting some basic and advanced features of these PCBs.
Generally, a printed circuit board is a thin board made to support the electrically connected components connected together in a system.PCBs are made with insulating material and multiple factors affect the efficiency of PCB and in return the electrical circuits.
The aluminium PCBs for LED is a unique copper clad that is laminated in high-quality material. Traditional PCBs are made with FR4 composite material but in the case of aluminium PCB, the base is made with aluminium material. These PCBs have more thermal conductivity therefore, they are more efficient for heat dissipation in the LED circuits.
Types of Aluminium PCB w.r.t LED
There are multiple types of aluminium PCBs that can be used for LEDs. These types have different characteristics. Knowing the basics of these types is important so that one may decide the type of aluminium PCB with respect to the type of LED circuit.
Single Layer Aluminum PCB
It consists of a single layer of aluminium substrate. The dialect and copper layers are presented on one side only and these are ideal for the simple LED circuit with low power consumption.
Double Layer Aluminum PCB
It contains two layers of aluminium substrates and on both sides, the dialect and copper layers are present. Because of these features, it allows more complex circuitry to run on it and better trace density.
Multilayer Aluminum PCB
In this type, the characteristics we have just defined in other types are enhanced to three or more layers. The alternative dialect and conductive layers are responsible for better characteristics and these can hold the complex circuits of LEDs at a high level.
Hybrid PCBs
Another way to enhance the performance of LED PCB is to use aluminium with FR4 material. These are manufactured in such a way that the LEDs lie on the aluminium material whereas, the other components are mounted on the FR4. This results in a cost-effective solution at a higher level.
Advantages of Using Aluminium PCB
The properties of the aluminium are most suitable for the circuits like LED and therefore, better efficiency is obtained. The following points are useful to understand the reasons behind this factor.
Better Head Dissipation of Aluminium PCB
The first and most visible positive point of aluminium PCB is its heat dissipation. It has the ability to transfer more heat in the surrounding materials and environment than normal PCBs. As a result, better efficiency of the circuit is obtained.
The LED light emits a lot of heat. Moreover, the light runs for a long time and this creates a great amount of heat. When the circuit is mounted on the aluminium board, the heat produced is dissipated at a higher rate and it results in a long life of the LED circuit.
Environmental-friendly Aluminium PCB
The popularity of the LEDs resulted in the production of these circuits in a great amount. Using materials that can harm the environment at a great level will result in devastating effects. Therefore, aluminium is perfect for such popular circuits. Hence the manufacturers and the buyers find it better to use aluminium PCBs instead of other materials.
Durability of Aluminium PCB
Aluminium PCBs provide unbeatable durability and strength against other PCB materials such as ceramic or fibreglass. Moreover, these are used for issues like accidental breakdown of LED circuits.
LEDs are used in daily life for a long time and therefore, the structure and material should be sturdy and have to be strong enough to bear the load. The manufacturing and usage life of LEDs is tough and to handle the stress, aluminium is perfect.
Electrical Performance of Aluminium PCB
As compared to the traditional PCB material FR4, aluminium PCBs provide high electrical performance. Because of their chemical and physical characteristics, aluminium PCBs are able to conduct more electrical power than other options.
The LEDs are used at a higher level for hours and therefore, aluminium PCB is the best solution to deal with LEDs. They have the lower impedance and lower conductivity of these PCBs making it the best choice.
Lightweight and Compact Design
The aluminium is lightweight as compared to FR4 PCB and this makes it more suitable for the circuits like LEDs. Moreover, it is easy to have a compact design as compared to the other materials used for the manufacturing of PCBs. For the circuits like LEDs, where portability is a great issue, aluminium PCBs are ideal.
Soldering of Aluminium PCB
Not only for the users, but the aluminium PCBs are useful for manufacturers as well. These PCBs bear the soldering processes in a better way as compared to FR4 PCBs. As a result, these are not only manufactured in an easy way but the efficiency and reliability also increase.
Hence, all these features make aluminium PCBs the right choice for the users as well as for the manufacturers. Aluminium is a lightweight material that has the most suitable chemical and physical characteristics for circuits like LEDs. When designing such circuits, the strength, power consumption, heat dissipation, and type of the PCB are the important features that must be kept in mind. We hope you got the useful information in this article. Stay connected.
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