A Metal Core Printed Circuit Board (MCPCB) is a type of printed circuit board that contains a base metal material. The core is designed to redirect heat away from components which produce a substantial amount of heat. In contrast to FR4 and CEM3 printed circuit boards, a Metal Core Printed Circuit Board uses a base metal to increase the thermal conductivity of the PCB. The metal core is composed of a metal plate with an appropriate thickness to dissipate heat.
The main goal of a Metal Core Printed Circuit Board is to dissipate heat. This avoids the overheating of any components that are mounted to the circuit board, and surrounding hardware within the device that houses the MCPCB.
The main applications of metal PCBs include LED lighting, motor control in electric and hybrid vehicles, solid state relays, power supplies, converters, voltage regulators, solar panels, and photovoltaic cells. More generally, this technology is suitable for applications that require a lot of energy and, therefore, generate a lot of heat. If the PCB requires fast cooling, it is better to use a metal PCB rather than a traditional FR-4 substrate.
Thermal Dissipation
Dimensional Stability
Lower Weight and Higher Recyclability
Longer Lifetime
Better Strength and Stability