The capability extract shows in thirty seconds what runs as standard and what carries a surcharge.
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To the data check →An LED board is usually the simplest construction we build and the one where the most engineering value sits in a single decision: how the heat gets out from under the die. Everything else — layer count, structures, finish — follows from that.
Junction temperature decides both luminous flux and lifetime, and a power LED converts most of its input into heat. So the whole board is really a thermal component that happens to carry a circuit: an aluminium core under a thin thermally conductive dielectric, with as much copper spreading area under the pad as the layout allows.
The mistake we see most often is over-specifying the dielectric while under-specifying the copper. A 3 W/mK dielectric under a small thermal pad performs worse than a 1.5 W/mK dielectric under a generous copper area — the copper is what spreads the heat before it crosses the dielectric, and spreading area is free while dielectric performance is not.
Aluminium core, thin dielectric, generous copper spreading. The three decisions that determine whether the LED reaches its rated lifetime.
Reflectivity at the board surface recovers light that would otherwise be absorbed. On a luminaire this is measurable system efficiency, not styling.
Single-layer aluminium boards are among the cheapest constructions in the portfolio, which is what makes LED lighting economics work at all.
A starting point rather than a specification. The dielectric follows the operating voltage and the thermal budget together.
| Parameter | Typical | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | aluminium core | Copper core only where the budget forces it |
| Core thickness | 1.0 – 1.5 mm | Thicker spreads further sideways |
| Dielectric | 100 µm, 2 W/mK | Isolation voltage checked against the driver |
| Copper weight | 35 – 70 µm | Heavier where current or spreading demands it |
| Solder mask | white | Reflectivity; check yellowing spec for the lifetime |
| Surface finish | immersion silver | Better reflectivity than ENIG |
| Isolation clearance | ≥ 0.5 mm | Copper to routed edge and to mounting holes |
| Flammability | UL 94 V-0 | Standard across the material set |
Guide values for pre-selection. Binding values are confirmed per project against your data.
The points below are what most often comes back as a query after data review. Settling them before layout freeze saves a loop.
Copper spreads heat laterally before it crosses the dielectric. A generous copper area buys more junction-temperature reduction than a better dielectric does, and it costs nothing.
A thinner dielectric conducts better and isolates worse. Establish the isolation requirement from the driver topology, then optimise thermally within what remains.
White mask yellows under UV and heat over time. If the luminaire has a ten-year lifetime, ask about the mask's reflectivity retention rather than just its colour.
Mounting holes go straight into a conductive plate. Every hole and routed edge needs at least 0.5 mm of copper clearance or the circuit shorts to the chassis.
Usually not. Most LED designs close comfortably at 1 – 2 W/mK, and the limiting term is more often the copper spreading area or the heatsink interface. Run the thermal path before paying for the premium dielectric.
For a handful of low-power LEDs, FR-4 with a via array works and is cheaper. For power LEDs above about a watt each, aluminium is the right construction — the via array simply cannot move enough heat.
Immersion silver where reflectivity matters, ENIG where multiple reflow cycles or long storage do. HASL is common on cost-driven parts but the uneven surface is a problem for small LED packages.
Not on a single-layer aluminium board — the core blocks any through-connection. Two-sided assembly means a multilayer IMS build, which changes the price bracket significantly.
Send us your data or a rough sketch. We check feasibility, name the cost drivers and answer within one working day.