Design007 Magazine

38 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2024 Article by Yash Sutariya SATURN PCB SERVICES, INC. ey call me Sparky. is is due to my tal- ent for getting shocked by a variety of voltages and because I cannot seem to keep my hands out of power control cabinets. While I do not have the time to throw the knife switch to the off position, that doesn't stop me from sticking screwdrivers into the fuse boxes. In all honesty, I'm lucky to be alive. Fortunately, I also have a talent for building high-voltage heavy cop- per circuit boards. Since this is where I spend most of my time, I can guide you through some potential design for manufacturability (DFM) hazards you may encounter with heavy copper design. I have always perceived the term "heavy cop- per" as a printed circuit board with layers con- taining at least three ounces of finished copper. Recently, I've noticed a peculiar trend. We see monikers being used to describe higher cop- per weights (think 10-ounce, 20-ounce) that are seemingly pulled right out of a '90s-era Mountain Dew commercial: "extreme copper" or "super copper." I'm trying to coin the term "stupid crazy copper," but somehow, I don't think it will stick. ese are all fabricated descriptions to high- light achievements in building PCBs beyond our industry's standards. ere is no standard definition for heavy copper from IPC, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun designing and building these beasts of the PCB world. No matter what you call them or how you define them, we can all agree on why we use them. Heavy copper boards increase current carrying capacity and decrease circuit failures by reducing thermal resistance. To reduce layer count, some will contain more copper on the inner layers than the outer; moreover, some will even have different amounts of copper on the same layer. ey can also function as a heat sink thanks to plated vias and their capac- ity to carry a higher current and heat through Heavy Copper PCBs: Bridging the Gap Between Design and Fabrication, Part 1

• Design007 Magazine — March 2024
• Feature Contents
• Additional Contents
• Column — The Myriad Opportunities—and Challenges
• Short — All Flex Solutions Expands Rigid Flex Quick-turn Offering
• Feature Interview — Great Opportunities and Challenges in PCB Design
• Short — DRAM Industry Sees Nearly 30% Revenue Growth in 4Q23
• Feature Article — The Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Specialties of PCB Design
• MilAero007 Highlights
• Feature Interview — Being the Best Design Engineer
• Column — Designing for Reality: Prioritzing Manufacturability
• Short — Design Guidelines for Flexible Printed Circuits
• Interview — PCBflow Helps Designers Choose Best Manufacturer for the Job
• Article — Heavy Copper PCBs: Bridging the Gap Between Design and Fabrication, Part 1
• Short — Heraeus Printed Electronics, SUSS MicroTec Join Forces to Revolutionize High-Volume Semiconductor Manufacturing
• Feature Column — The Art of Technical Instruction
• Article — UHDI FUNDAMENTALS: ASC Sponsors Ultra High Density Interconnect Symposium
• Short — IPC Mourns Loss of Former Vice President of Industry Programs, Tony Hilvers
• Article — Designing Electronics for High Thermal Loads
• Short — Siemens Joins Semiconductor Education Alliance to Address Skills and Talent Shortage
• Feature Column — The Art of Presenting PCB Design Courses
• Feature Column — PCB Designers Still Wanted
• Short — Keysight Technologies Chosen as Test Partner for Deutsche Telecom Satellite NB-IoT Early Adopter Program
• Top Ten Editor's Picks
• Career Opportunities
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• Advertiser Index and Masthead