0.6mm PCB is middle thickness of printed circuit board,For double sided PCB is normal,Now more 4 layer and 6 layer PCB use 0.6mm thickness to fix smaller and thinner electronic device .
The laminate thickness as per your specifications and needs. Though, our team offers a standard thickness of 1.6 mm (0.063 inch). Sometimes, the circuit board core thickness and soldermask coating must be considered for trace impedance. When computing impedance, the consequences of conformal coating must be taken into account as the circuit boards are usually covered in soldermask. In general, soldermask decreases the impedance on thin traces. The soldermask has considerably less effect when the trace thickness increases.0.6mm pcb is common for our production, We did 4 layer 0.6mm PCB, 6 layer 0.6mm PCB, and 0.8mm PCB manufacturing.
Circuit board finish differs in rates, availability, serviceable life, consistency and assembly processing. As each finish has its individual advantages, product, the procedures, or setting will define the appropriate surface finish that is suitable for the application. We recommend our users and the designer to constantly coordinate with us for selection of ideal finish for the required product design. This will ensure you have better prices for the end product delivery.
Introduction
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) provide the foundation for mounting and interconnecting electronic components in products. PCB thickness is an important design parameter that affects weight, stiffness, manufacturability and cost. With the trend towards miniaturization in electronics, thinner PCBs around 0.6mm are increasingly being used in dense and compact designs.
This article will examine what 0.6mm PCB thickness means, the manufacturing capabilities needed, key applications for 0.6mm boards, their benefits versus standard 1.6mm PCBs, optimal stackup configurations, and design considerations when using 0.6mm PCB technology.
What Does 0.6mm Thickness Mean?
The thickness of a PCB refers to the total height of the finished multilayer board assembly including conductors, insulating dielectric material and plating finishes. Some standard PCB thickness classes are:
- 1.6mm – Standard thickness
- 1.0mm – Typical thinner PCB
- 0.8mm – Mid-range thin PCB
- 0.6mm – Ultra-thin PCB
- 0.4mm – Extremely thin PCB
So a 0.6mm thickness PCB has an overall board height of 0.6mm. This is achieved by using thinner dielectric core and prepreg laminate materials during multilayer PCB fabrication. The thinner laminates enable reducing weight by over 60% compared to standard 1.6mm boards.
Why Use Thinner 0.6mm PCBs?
The key drivers for adopting thinner 0.6mm PCB technology are:
- Reduce product weight and size for portability
- Allow greater component density with thinner dielectrics
- Enable tighter spacing and gap control for denser routing
- Match thickness with thinner flex-rigid sections in a design
- Allow additional layers within constrained height envelopes
- Facilitate integration in thin packages like laptops and tablets
- Lower material content for cost reduction
For space and weight constrained products, 0.6mm PCBs help achieve miniaturization, portability and integration goals while providing maximum functionality.
Typical Applications of 0.6mm PCBs
Some examples of products that typically utilize 0.6mm thin PCB technology are:
- Smartphones and tablets
- Wearable devices
- IoT endpoints
- Drones
- Robotics
- Laptops
- Biomedical devices
- Automotive sensors
The compact, lightweight nature of these applications makes 0.6mm PCBs suitable to facilitate greater densification and packaging flexibility with reduced thickness and mass.
Fabrication Challenges with 0.6mm Boards
While providing advantages, reliably manufacturing 0.6mm multilayer PCBs poses some fabrication difficulties including:
- Maintaining registration across multiple thin laminates
- Achieving high peel strengths between thin cores
- Preventing resin starvation during lamination
- Controlling line width and spacing on thin substrates
- Producing robust multilayer 0.6mm board stackups
- Minimizing handling damage of flexible thin cores
- Keeping thin panels stable and warp-free post-etching
- Achieving desired impedance tolerances
These issues require stringent process control capabilities from the PCB manufacturer.
Key Manufacturing Capabilities for 0.6mm PCBs
To reliably produce 0.6mm multilayer PCBs, manufacturers need to demonstrate several critical capabilities:
- Registration accuracy – +/- 0.075mm or better registration control.
- Lamination – Expertise in bonding thin cores using high fillers to avoid voids.
- Etching – Ability to hold 2 mil lines and spaces on 0.6mm cores.
- Plating adhesion – Copper bond strength over 4.5N on 0.6mm dielectric.
- Surface finish – Uniform electrolytic plating thickness across thin panels.
- Handling – Special carriers and automation to avoid scratches, dents.
- Stackup design – Modeling and engineering optimal 0.6mm layer configurations.
- Flatness control – Warp/twist containment through prepreg intervals and balancing.
- Impedance tolerance – Tight impedance matching within 5% of target.
- Reliability testing – Thermal shock, temperature cycling, drop/shock testing.
Benefits of 0.6mm vs Standard 1.6mm PCBs
Here is a comparison between typical 0.6mm and standard 1.6mm PCB characteristics:
| Parameter | 0.6mm PCB | 1.6mm PCB |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 0.6mm | 1.6mm |
| Weight | Lower by ~60% | Higher |
| Layers | Typically 4-8 | Typically 2-6 |
| Line Width | 2 mil capable | 3 mil typical |
| Dielectric Constant | Consistent | More variation |
| Impedance Tolerance | Tighter | Larger tolerances |
| Flexibility | Flexible | Rigid |
| Handling | Needs careful handling | Easily handled |
| Routing Density | Higher, finer features | Lower, larger features |
| Thermal Issues | Less heat spreading | Better thermal conduction |
| Manufacturing | Tighter process control needed | Larger process margins |
Optimized Stackup for 0.6mm PCBs
To achieve a robust, reliable 0.6mm board stackup, considerations include:
- Use thinner dielectrics like 0.2mm or 0.3mm prepregs to conserve total thickness.
- Incorporate microvias to transition between layers, avoiding through hole vias.
- Include power and ground planes adjacent to signal layers for isolation.
- Watch out for impedance discontinuities at layer transitions.
- Model key signals in PCB analysis tools to shape stackup.
- Alternate plane directions to balance stresses and avoid warping.
- Limit asymmetric compositions which produce curl/twist.
- Allow extra thickness for surface finishes like ENIG or immersion silver.
- Increase metal core layers if stiffness must be enhanced.
- Add stiffeners or metal backers selectively if needed.
Design Considerations for 0.6mm PCBs
To effectively leverage 0.6mm boards, engineers should factor in:
- Accounting for flexibility and handling issues in assembly processes.
- Minimizing mechanical stresses on the thin boards in the product enclosure.
- Watching for impedance discontinuities and reflections at layer transitions.
- Isolating or shielding any sensitive high-speed signals on inner layers.
- Including thermal relief connections for surface mount parts prone to heating.
- Measuring temperature rises during operation to avoid hot spots.
- Reviewing component layouts and spacings for optimal thermal performance.
- Adding selective stiffening elements if board flexing causes issues.
- Allowing for higher layer counts within given product height constraints.
Conclusion
With increasing demands for lightweight and thinner products, 0.6mm PCB technology enables reduced mass and size while packing in electronics functionality through greater routing density and layer counts. But achieving robust 0.6mm boards requires advanced manufacturing expertise. With an optimized stackup design and accounting for the unique thermal/mechanical considerations, 0.6mm PCBs can provide a platform for cutting-edge compact product development.
