I was wondering if with single layer metal PCBs, can the PCB be built so that 1/8” of the border around the edge of the PCB and the mounting holes can be free of copper, soldermask, and Tpreg so that only the exposed aluminum baseplate is there? This exposed aluminum baseplate would then serve as bonding areas for other metal objects that will contact those areas. It would look a lot like the figure I screen shot captured from your website shown below:
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Sierra can build this. Are your design files ready?
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We do have files to send, but now I have some other additional questions/requests:
- Can Sierra make flexible aluminum backed PCBs (single layer)? We will need to bend this PCB to a heatsink after it is populated.
- The PCB WILL ALSO REQUIRE A MILLED OUT SECTION ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE ALUMINUM BASEPLATE AT THE LOCATION WE INTEND TO BEND THE PCB ASSEMBLY. THIS MILLED OUT SECTION WILL BE 0.25" WIDE BY 0.020" DEEP. Is this possible?
- IS THERE ANY POSSIBLE WAY TO CHROMATE THE EXPOSED ALUMINUM AREAS TO PREVENT CORROSION?
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Let me ask our floor managers.
So unfortunately, we can’t build that. ![]()
Can I ask which requirement is a problem? Is it the flexible metal PCB part?
They’re asking if we can use regular PCB material as a stiffener?
Well this is an LED application, so we need it to be an aluminum backed PCB, single layer, with a thermally conductive TPREG between the copper and aluminum. Since we have to bend the PCB to a heatsink (single bend, less than 10 degrees) we need the TPREG to be flexible and able to bend.
Ah ok.
