Aluminum PCB, dauble layer

[Rufus]

This thread is 2 and half years old, I think the OP has worked it out or given up by now.

[tszaboo]

I'm still glat that it came up.
It is called ALUMINIUM. Please. This is from the urban dictionary:
"How the entire world (except the Americans) say aluminium.

Why?

Because that's how it's spelled."
Not to mention, that PCB is not made from it. It is made from Alumina substrate, which is aluminium oxide.
And having a two layer IMS board (because that is how it is called. Insulated metal substrate) completely against the cause. You need one layer, because it needs to be thermally coupled with the alumina substrate.
Grr.

[Corporate666]

I'm still glat that it came up.
It is called ALUMINIUM. Please. This is from the urban dictionary:
"How the entire world (except the Americans) say aluminium.

Why?

Because that's how it's spelled."
Not to mention, that PCB is not made from it. It is made from Alumina substrate, which is aluminium oxide.
And having a two layer IMS board (because that is how it is called. Insulated metal substrate) completely against the cause. You need one layer, because it needs to be thermally coupled with the alumina substrate.
Grr.

Incorrect.

Aluminum is just as correct as aluminium.  Our periodic table lists the metal "Al" as "Aluminum".  It's not just an incorrect pronunciation.


As for the original question, I realize it's quite old, but MyroPCB and UltimatePCB both offer aluminum PCB's.  I haven't done (or seen, actually) a stack up with two layers on top of each other on one side of a metal core PCB, but I have done two sided metal core PCB's before.

For extremely demanding applications, check out Sinkpad.  They have a technique where they etch down into the copper then put a dielectric and your traces - this leaves the unetched areas of the coppers at the same level as the rest of your solder pads.  And you can reflow the heat tabs of electrically isolated devices directly to these copper pads, which means they are directly connected to the substrate without going through a dielectric. 

More expensive than normla MCPCB's but not outrageously so - very useful for highly demanding thermal applications.

[Claudia]

For aluminium PCB , I summarize other names as follow
aluminum PCB
Alu PCB
Metal core PCB
IMS (Insulated Metallic Substrate) circuit boards 

[mrflibble]

Incorrect.

Aluminum is just as correct as aluminium.  Our periodic table lists the metal "Al" as "Aluminum".  It's not just an incorrect pronunciation.

So in case of doubt just go with the IUPAC standard for the element name which is, you guessed it ... aluminium.

And to stay a bit more on topic ... does anyone know of affordable MCPCB manufacturers a la itead/seeed that makes 10 pieces for a doable price? I've looked for MCPCB manufacturers about 1 year ago and then it was a bit too expensive for me. So I ended up doing double layer board riddled with thermal vias. But maybe MCPCB prices have come down be now?

[tszaboo]

Eurocircuits makes IMS PCB pooling. Of course you have to #define affordable.

[mrflibble]

Of course you have to #define affordable.

Fair enough. Let's say ~ 2x price of regular double layer, so $40 for 10 pieces of 10cm x 10cm.

Edit: Just did a quick calc and the above comes to ~ 200 euro. So, almost the desired price.

[tszaboo]

That price is only available if you order hundreds of the board. Or you have to go to PRC. But I doubt they use the same quality base material, which is really important for IMS, i think.