Heavy Copper PCB
Heavy copper PCBs feature 3oz+ copper thickness, designed for high-current and high-power applications. Excellent thermal dissipation and current-carrying capacity, widely used in power supplies, automotive electronics, and industrial control systems.
| Specification | Capability |
|---|---|
| Copper Weight | 3oz - 20oz |
| Layers | 1-16 layers |
| Board Thickness | 0.8mm - 6.0mm |
| Min Line Width | 6mil |
| Surface Finish | HASL/ENIG/OSP |
| Material | FR-4 TG170/TG180 |
Key Features
Applications
What Is a Heavy Copper PCB?
A heavy copper PCB is a printed circuit board built with copper weights of 3oz (105µm) or more on inner and outer layers, versus the 1-2oz used on standard boards. The extra copper lets a single board carry high current, survive repeated thermal cycling and act as its own heat sink. PCB168 manufactures heavy copper PCBs from 3oz up to 20oz on 1-16 layers, with board thickness from 0.8mm to 6.0mm.
Choosing Copper Weight: 3oz, 4oz, 6oz and Above
Copper weight drives current capacity and trace width. As a rule of thumb, 3oz suits moderate power rails, 4oz-6oz is the sweet spot for automotive and industrial power stages, and 8oz-20oz is reserved for welding gear, high-power inverters and busbar-style traces. Heavier copper needs wider spacing and etch compensation, so sharing your current, temperature-rise budget and layer count up front lets our engineers optimize the stackup.
Thermal Performance and Reliability
Because copper conducts heat far better than FR-4, thick copper planes spread hot spots and lower peak junction temperatures. Combined with high-Tg FR-4 (TG170/TG180) laminate, heavy copper boards resist delamination and plated-through-hole fatigue under high-current load, which is why they dominate power conversion, EV, and industrial control applications.
Ordering Heavy Copper PCBs from PCB168
As a China-based heavy copper PCB manufacturer, PCB168 supports online quoting from your Gerber files, with prototypes typically shipping in 3-5 working days. Available finishes include HASL, ENIG and OSP. Send your stackup and current requirements for a manufacturability review before you commit to production.
6oz Heavy Copper PCB: Current Capacity and Design Notes
A 6oz heavy copper PCB uses roughly 210µm of copper, letting a single trace carry substantially more current than 3-4oz in the same footprint while running cooler. As a starting point, a 6oz external trace around 2.5-3mm wide can sustain tens of amps at a modest temperature rise, though the exact width depends on your allowed rise, ambient and layer position. Designing a 6oz heavy copper PCB calls for extra etch compensation and wider spacing because the thick copper undercuts during etching; PCB168 handles the trace-width and impedance adjustments so your 6oz board matches the intended current rating. Typical uses include automotive power modules, industrial motor drives and high-current busbar-style planes.
Heavy Copper Power PCBs for Power Supplies
In power electronics, a heavy copper power PCB replaces bulky busbars and jumpers by integrating high-current paths directly into the board. For switch-mode power supplies, DC-DC converters and solar inverters, 4oz-20oz copper carries tens to hundreds of amps with low I²R loss, while the same copper spreads heat away from MOSFETs and magnetics. This lets designers shrink power-supply footprints and improve reliability under continuous high-current load — a common reason automotive and industrial customers choose PCB168 for heavy copper power designs.
Thick Copper PCB for Industrial and High-Current Applications
Thick copper PCB is another common name for the same technology: boards with 3oz and heavier copper built to move large currents and heat. Industrial heavy copper PCB designs — motor drives, welding equipment, UPS systems, rail and battery-management hardware — rely on this extra copper to carry high current continuously without excessive temperature rise. As one of the experienced thick copper and heavy copper PCB manufacturers in China, PCB168 builds high-current heavy copper PCB stackups from 3oz to 20oz, including 4oz, 6oz and 8oz heavy copper PCB options, and mixed builds that combine heavy copper power planes with fine signal layers. Share your peak current, duty cycle and temperature-rise limit and our engineers will recommend the copper weight, trace width and spacing for a reliable industrial heavy copper PCB.
Multilayer Heavy Copper PCB and Mixed-Weight Stackups
A multilayer heavy copper PCB laminates several layers into one board so that high-current power planes and fine signal traces share the same stackup. On a heavy copper PCB multilayer board, PCB168 typically pairs thin 1-2oz inner signal layers with 3oz-20oz power layers, using thick resin-rich prepreg and sequential lamination to fill the large copper steps while holding registration. This mixed-weight approach lets a multilayer heavy copper board carry tens to hundreds of amps on its power layers while routing control and sense signals on the same board, removing the need for separate busbars or daughter boards. Designing a multilayer heavy copper stackup calls for wider spacing, resin-rich prepreg and etch compensation on the thick copper layers; PCB168 builds 4- to 16-layer multilayer heavy copper PCBs for power modules, motor-drive backplanes, EV chargers and industrial control boards. Send your layer count, per-layer copper weight and current targets for a manufacturability review.
Related Technical Articles
Why AI Servers Demand Heavy Copper PCBs — Big Current PCB Design Trends from NVIDIA's Rubin Platform
As NVIDIA's Rubin platform pushes single-card power consumption beyond 1000W, AI servers demand unprecedented current-carrying capacity from PCBs. This article analyzes why 3oz-20oz heavy copper PCBs are becoming essential infrastructure for AI computing.
Heavy Copper PCB Delivery Terms: Where Risk Transfers in the RFQ
Delivery terms decide more than who pays freight. For heavy copper boards, they fix the point where risk of loss moves to the buyer and who must prove when edge damage or warp occurred. Here is what to bind into the RFQ.
Thick Copper PCB Quote Validity: Which Assumptions Expire and When the Price Reopens
A thick copper PCB quote carries six unwritten assumptions and a shelf life. Learn which inputs to freeze in the RFQ, which events void a quote, which changes only need engineering confirmation, and what to require in a price adjustment clause.
Frequently Asked Questions
What copper thickness can PCB168 produce for heavy copper PCBs?
PCB168 manufactures heavy copper PCBs from 3oz up to 20oz copper weight, on 1-16 layer boards with thickness from 0.8mm to 6.0mm.
What are heavy copper PCBs used for?
Heavy copper PCBs suit high-current and high-power applications such as power converters, automotive electronics, industrial control, welding equipment, UPS systems and solar inverters.
Why choose heavy copper instead of standard copper?
Thicker copper carries more current, dissipates heat better and improves mechanical strength, making it ideal where standard 1-2oz copper would overheat or fail.
Can PCB168 build 4oz and 6oz heavy copper PCBs?
Yes. 4oz and 6oz are among our most common heavy copper builds. A 4oz (140µm) inner layer typically needs ~0.35mm trace width per 10A at a 10°C rise, while 6oz (210µm) handles higher current in the same footprint. We also produce 8oz-20oz for extreme power designs.
Are you a heavy copper PCB manufacturer in China with online quoting?
PCB168 is a China-based heavy copper PCB manufacturer serving global customers. Upload your Gerber files for an online quote and lead time; prototypes typically ship in 3-5 working days.
What surface finishes and materials are available for heavy copper?
We offer HASL, ENIG and OSP finishes on FR-4 TG170/TG180 base material, with board thickness from 0.8mm to 6.0mm for 3oz-20oz copper builds.
Do you make heavy copper power PCBs for power supplies and converters?
Yes. Heavy copper power PCBs are a core specialty at PCB168. For power supplies, converters and inverters we build 4oz-20oz copper planes and busbar-style traces that carry high current with minimal voltage drop and self-dissipate heat, so power stages run cooler without external heat sinks. Share your peak current, rail voltage and temperature-rise target for a stackup recommendation.
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