The production process of aluminum base fiberglass board is a complex process that combines material properties and circuit functions. Each step needs to be precisely controlled to ensure the performance and reliability of the board. This board combines the heat dissipation advantages of aluminum base and the structural strength of glass fiber. Its production process must not only meet the electrical requirements of the circuit board, but also take into account the molding stability under ultra-long size. Strict operating specifications must be followed from material pretreatment to finished product inspection.
The initial stage of production is the preparation and pretreatment of materials. As a heat dissipation base, the aluminum base plate needs to be cleaned on the surface first to remove the oxide layer and impurities. Chemical cleaning or mechanical polishing is usually used to make the surface reach a certain roughness to enhance the bonding force with other materials. The glass fiber cloth needs to be cut according to the design specifications to ensure accurate size, and at the same time check whether there are defects on the cloth surface to avoid affecting the uniformity of the board. Pretreatment also includes the preparation of resin glue. According to the bonding requirements of aluminum base and glass fiber, select epoxy resin with suitable viscosity and curing characteristics, add curing agent and other additives, and stir evenly to prepare for the subsequent lamination process.
The lamination process is the key link in the composite molding of aluminum substrate, glass fiber cloth and resin glue. First, stack the materials in order on a clean workbench. Usually, the aluminum substrate is the bottom layer, and the glass fiber cloth coated with resin is laid on it. According to the number of layers and thickness requirements of the circuit design, multiple layers of glass fiber cloth may need to be stacked, and the resin distribution must be even between each layer. After the stacking is completed, it is placed in the laminator, and by applying uniform pressure and set temperature, the resin glue is fully infiltrated with the glass fiber cloth and tightly bonded to the aluminum substrate. In this process, the control of temperature and pressure is particularly important. The temperature and pressure must be gradually increased according to the curing curve of the resin to avoid deformation of the board or bubbles due to uneven stress.
The curing process is a necessary step for the laminated board to form a stable structure. After the laminator completes the pressurization, it will heat and cure according to the preset program to cause the epoxy resin to undergo a cross-linking reaction, changing from liquid to solid, and firmly combining the aluminum substrate and the glass fiber cloth into a whole. The curing time and temperature must strictly follow the process parameters. Insufficient temperature or too short time will lead to insufficient curing, affecting the strength and weather resistance of the board; too high temperature or too long time may age the resin and reduce the heat dissipation performance. After curing, the board needs to be slowly cooled to room temperature in the laminator to avoid internal stress caused by excessive temperature difference, which may cause the board to warp or crack.
The cooled aluminum base fiberglass board needs to be processed to meet the precision requirements of the extra-long size. Since the size of the extra-long circuit board is much larger than that of ordinary boards, a special large-scale CNC cutting machine is required for cutting. The board is cut to the specified length and width according to the design drawings by diamond cutting tools or laser cutting. During the cutting process, the feed speed and tool speed must be controlled to prevent damage to the edge of the board due to friction overheating, and at the same time ensure that the incision is flat and smooth to avoid burrs or delamination. For extra-long boards, special attention should be paid to support and fixation during cutting to prevent the board from sagging due to its own weight and affecting the cutting accuracy.
The drilling process is to prepare for the vias and mounting holes on the circuit board. According to the drilling drawings of the circuit design, a high-precision CNC drilling machine is used to drill holes at the specified positions. The diameter and depth of the holes must strictly meet the requirements. Since the plate contains aluminum and glass fiber, the drill bit needs to be made of wear-resistant carbide, and appropriate cooling lubricant is applied during the drilling process to reduce the drill bit temperature and reduce dust accumulation. For ultra-long circuit boards, the positioning accuracy during drilling is particularly critical. The accuracy of the hole position must be ensured by positioning pins or optical recognition systems to avoid the subsequent circuit connection and component installation affected by the hole position deviation.
Surface treatment is the last link in the manufacturing process, which aims to provide good electrical connection and protection performance for the circuit board. First, the surface of the plate is cleaned to remove the dust and oil residue left during drilling, and then a conductive copper layer is formed on the hole wall and surface through the copper deposition process, laying the foundation for circuit wiring. Then the pattern transfer is carried out, and the designed circuit pattern is transferred to the copper layer through exposure, development and other steps. The unprotected copper layer will be etched away, leaving the required circuit pattern. Finally, solder mask and character printing are performed, and solder mask ink is applied on the surface of the circuit board to prevent short circuits and provide protection. At the same time, component identification and parameters are printed to facilitate subsequent assembly and maintenance. The entire surface treatment process must ensure uniformity and consistency under ultra-long dimensions to avoid process deviations caused by excessive length.
The completed ultra-long circuit board aluminum base fiberglass board must also undergo strict quality inspections, including appearance inspections, dimensional measurements, electrical performance tests, and heat dissipation performance evaluations, to ensure that the board can still meet design requirements in an ultra-long state. From material selection to each process step, precise control and professional operation are required to produce ultra-long circuit boards with high heat dissipation, high strength, and electrical reliability to meet the special needs of high-end fields such as aerospace and industrial control for large circuit boards.
