On PCB Trace Thickness, The significance of PCBs boards can neither denied nor ignored as they are indeed the backbone of modern electrical and electronic devices. The thickness of a PCB board holds enormous implications for a designer during the design process of a PCB board. The consistency has essential gravity is by ignoring it; the PCB board might not function or result in damage or sparks, which might also cause harm to the components connected to the board.
Because single-sided, double-sided, and multi-layered PCB boards exist in the market, the thickness of these boards also varies with the type of PCB board. The commonly used PCB trace thickness include PCB trace thicknesses ranging from 0.008 inches to 0.240 inches and they include 0.2 mm (0.0079 inch), 0.4 mm (0.016 inch), 0.5 mm (0.020 inch), 0.6 mm (0.024 inch), 0.8 mm (0.032 inch), 1.0 mm (0.04 inch), 1.2 mm (0.047 inch), 1.5 mm (0.062 inch), 1.6 mm (0.063 inch), 2.0 mm (0.079 inch), 2.3 mm (0.091 inch), etc.
Figure 1 shows a table that elaborates the different thicknesses of the PCB board used b the designers.
1.PCB Trace Thickness
The PCB trace thickness of any PCB board is chosen by the designer while designing the PCB board. Commonly the thicknesses chosen by the designer while designing four layers of PCB board are 0.020″, 0.031″,0.040″, 0.047″, 0.062″, 0.093″ and 0.125″ inches . The user may select ½, 1, or 2-ounce inner layer copper foil for your board. Figure 2 shows the visual representation of PCB’s trace thickness and how it varies before and after the components are etched to the board’s surface.
The thickness of the copper used plays a vital role in selecting PCB thickness as they are dependent on each other. The unit of copper thickness used in the PCB board is ounce rolled on an area of 1 square foot. Commonly the PCB board that uses 1 oz copper has a thickness of 1.4 mils. Figure 3 shows the relationship between the width of copper used in PCBs board and the overall PCBs trace thickness.
The significance of PCB thickness is equivalent, if not less, than that of a PCB board. The PCB thickness holds immense importance. The designers perform a lot of complex calculations to reach the depth of the PCB board that could deliver accurate results. PCB trace thickness calculators are available to the designers to calculate the thickness of the PCB board immediately. In the case of wrongly calculating the PCB trace thickness, this may result in either not gaining the accurate results that the PCB designed for, or it may also damage the components attached to the surface of the PCB board.
The designer uses meticulous and precise techniques to ensure the accurate thickness of the PCB board. Due to the accuracy of the PCB trace thickness, the material used during the design of PCBs is saved from being wasted or from over-use.