How To Choose The Right Materials For PCBA?

Image of PCBA materials source Freepik

PCBA is a critical component of all electronic devices. It performs various roles that are directly related to the management and control of the electronic devices. Have you ever wondered what a PCBA module is made of so that it is able to perform the required functions? Of course, it has several electronic components such as capacitors and resistors. However, do you know that the material that is used for making PCBA has a direct impact on the performance and reliability of a module?

If you are building PCBA modules for your application, it is vital that you pay full attention to the type of material that has been used. Some materials have the full capacity to deliver the best results and boost the reliability rating of a PCBA module. Others tend to deliver substandard performance levels.  In this article, you will learn how to choose the best material for the PCBA. We will also give you tips on the critical elements that you should look at when choosing these materials for PCBA.

Common PCBA materials

Before I even give you tips for making the right choice of materials, here are some of the main materials that are used for making PCBA.

PCBA materials are divided into two major classes. These are the rigid substrate and flexible substrate materials.

Rigid substrate

Copper-clad laminate (CCL is the main component of the rigid substrate material. It is known for being strong hence boosting the durability and reliability of PCB. As the name implies, the material is rigid and hence cannot be easily bent and even broken. The make of this, material also allows easy integration with electronic components on the PCB. Some of the rigid substrate materials include FR1, FR2, CEM1, and CEM3 materials.

Flexible substrate material

As the name suggests, these PCBA materials tend to provide high levels of flexibility. It is easy to change or modify the configurations of these materials so that they can be integrated into an electronic device, or to allow different electronic components.

Examples of flexible substrate materials include Polyester films (PET), Polyimide (PI), and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). While all of these materials tend to be the same, each one has unique chemical properties that make it perfect for PCBA. One feature that brings together is flexibility and low power consumption.

Key factors to consider when choosing PCBA materials

We have just highlighted different types of PCBA materials that are in the market. Which material should you choose and why should you choose it? You can only get the answers to these questions by analyzing various factors. Here are some of the key pointers that will help you choose the right PCBA material:

Thermal properties of the material

Therma properties majorly cover issues related to the heat and temperature behavior of the material. How does it react when exposed to different temperature conditions.? The thermal property will determine which material is suitable for your PCBA.

There are several elements of thermal properties that you should analyze before deciding on the choice of the material.

First, establish the glass transition temperature of the PCB material. This is the temperature range in which a material changes its physical form, from rigidity to being soft without melting or burning. The property mainly focuses on the impact of high temperatures on the PCBA. It is always advisable to go for PCBA materials that have high glass transition temperature values. It means that they will still remain stable despite the high-temperature changes.

The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is another thermal property that you should look at when choosing PCBA materials. It mainly explains the expansion behavior of the material when exposed to different temperature variations. This parameter is likely to affect the length and thickness of the PCB in case of drastic temperature changes.
you should also pay attention to the thermal conductivity property of the PCBA material. How fast does the material allow electric signals to pass through? This will determine the overall performance of the PCB in its respective application area.

Decomposition temperature is another thermal property that will determine your choice of PCBA material. It defines how the material is affected by the temperature changes.

Electrical properties

Conduct a deep analysis of the electrical properties of a PCBA material before you determine whether it is a perfect choice for you. Since PCBA modules are mainly used for electric purposes, their electric properties have a direct impact on their performance.

Some of the key electrical properties that you should analyze include resistance to the flow of electric current, dielectric strength of the material, dielectric constant, resistivity, and electric frequency among others.

Try to find out what each of the electrical property means and how it will affect the performance of the material. For example, high dielectric strength means that the material is highly capable of resisting electrical breakdown. Resistivity, on the other hand, refers to the level of resistance to the flow of electric signals.

Physical and mechanical properties

Your choice of PCBA material should also depend on its mechanical properties. How does it behave when subjected to physical and mechanical variants? Some of the mechanical properties that you should pay attention to include the following:

• Bending strength: Is the material rigid or intact?
• Peel strength: The behavior of the layers that make up the material to peel off
• Dense layer: This defines the density of the material

Chemical properties

The chemical properties of a PCBA material will affect its overall performance.  You should analyze each chemical property to establish whether the material will be perfect for your PCBA. Some of the chemical properties include; flammability, moisture absorption, acidity, and reactivity, among others.

Conclusion

From the guide, it is clear that you should aim at getting the best material for your PCBA. Making this choice is not something that you should do in a hurry. Instead, you should take your time to deeply analyze the available components before choosing one. It is also advisable to compare different materials before making the decision. Finally, you should aim at buying PCBA materials from reputable suppliers and distributors.

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