Which thermal conductivity should I specify?

Start from the power dissipated and the temperature rise you can accept; we will propose a dielectric and thickness combination between 1.0 and 6.0 W/mK that meets it.

Can metal core boards be multilayer?

Yes. Hybrid constructions bond a conventional multilayer circuit to an aluminium or copper core when both routing density and heat spreading are needed.

Aluminium or copper core?

Aluminium covers most lighting and power applications at lower cost and weight; copper is used where thermal performance outweighs both.

— CAPABILITIES

Aluminum & Metal Core PCB Capability

HyperPCB manufactures aluminium and copper core PCBs with thermal conductivity from 1.0 to 6.0 W/mK for LED lighting, power conversion and motor drives, in single-sided, double-sided and hybrid constructions.

— SPECIFICATIONS

Capability & tolerance chart

Aluminum & Metal Core PCB Capability — standard vs advanced.
Parameter	Standard	Advanced
Supported Structures	Single-sided metal core, double-sided metal core with plated through holes, multilayer and hybrid metal-backed builds	—
Core and Base Materials	Aluminium core, copper core and direct thermal path copper structures	—
Finished Board Thickness	39.4 – 197 mil	—
Thermally Conductive Dielectric	0.5 – 8.0 W/m·K, subject to material selection	—
Registration Accuracy	1.97 mil single-sided	2.95 mil double-sided / PTH
Routing / Forming Accuracy	±3.94 mil	—
Profile / Positional Tolerance	±7.87 mil	±5.91 mil on advanced builds
Back-Drill Depth Tolerance	±7.87 mil where applicable	±3.94 mil where applicable
Surface Finishes	Lead-free HASL, ENIG, electrolytic gold, immersion tin, OSP	—
Production Support	Prototype, low-volume and volume production	—

Thermal resistance, not just conductivity

The number that matters to your junction temperature is the thermal resistance from component pad to heatsink, and the dielectric layer dominates it. A 6 W/mK dielectric at 100 µm behaves very differently from 1 W/mK at the same thickness, so we quote the combination rather than a single headline figure.

Machining and isolation

Metal core boards are routed, counterbored and tapped as metal parts, and the exposed core must stay electrically isolated from the circuit. Mounting holes, clearances and edge isolation are reviewed with your mechanical drawing before tooling.

— FAQ