High Tg PCBs Manufacturer UK and Europe

Rush PCB Ltd manufactures high Tg PCBs. Tg or the Glass Transition temperature of a PCB is the temperature at which the substrate, a normally glassy rigid layer, changes to a rubbery state. PCBs with high Tg use substrates specifically chosen to operate at high temperatures without softening. A board with a high Tg transitions at a temperature higher than 180 °C.

Regular PCBs typically have a Tg of about 130 – 150 °C. High Tg PCBs have better mechanical characteristics and higher resistance to moisture and heat compared to regular PCBs. With a higher Tg value, the PCB material exhibits better temperature resistance.

As the temperature of the board crosses its glass transition value, the substrate begins to undergo structural changes. At this time, the board material starts to lose its electrical and mechanical properties. This may lead to many kinds of board failures. When the temperature falls back below the Tg value, the board can regain its original properties. However, repeated exposure to extreme thermal conditions can still impact long-term performance if the material is not suitable for the application.

High Tg PCBs offer several benefits. These include:

• Higher dimensional stability
• Improved resistance to heat
• Better mechanical properties
• Better chemical properties
• Improved PTH reliability
• Better durability to delamination
• Improved resistance to thermal stress
• Lower coefficient of thermal expansion
• Better heat dissipation

In comparison to regular PCB materials like FR4, boards made with high Tg substrate materials perform better in terms of dimensional stability, mechanical strength, water absorption, adhesiveness, and thermal management.

We use many types of substrates for manufacturing high Tg PCBs. Depending on the Tg value specified by the customer, we choose from among the following manufacturers and substrate materials:

Because of their exceptional reliability and stability under high temperatures, many industries prefer high Tg circuit boards for their applications. These include:

Automotive

Temperatures under the hood of operating cars often reach higher than 150 °C. In such situations, high Tg circuit boards with better thermal management last substantially longer for sensors, ABS, engine controls, and infotainment systems.

Aerospace and Aviation

Avionic equipment often must withstand temperature variations from -50 °C to 130 °C. Only high Tg boards can withstand these conditions for navigation electronics, engine controls, and flight control systems.

Medical

Some medical equipment can be complex and generate a lot of heat when operating. High Tg material can withstand heat better than regular PCBs, does not undergo dimensional changes, and has a much lower risk of failure. Diagnostic equipment, monitoring devices, and imaging systems typically use high Tg PCBs.

Military and Defense

The military and defense sector requires highly stable equipment that offers unfailing repeated performance even in environments with high temperature, dust, moisture, vibration, and shock. Such mission-critical applications typically use high Tg PCB materials.

Industrial

Industrial environments are typically hot, dusty, and with high humidity. Despite this, automation and process control systems must continue to function reliably in unfavorable industrial environments. High Tg boards allow this equipment to function reliably.

Telecommunications

In the telecommunications industry, networking hardware and base stations are often outdoors, where the ambient temperature may be very high. For maintaining signal integrity in these adverse conditions, the best option is to use high Tg PCBs.