Power PCBs | Methode

For more than twenty years, Methode's partner UPE has been at the forefront of advancing the development of high-power, thick-copper printed circuit board (PCB) processes. This unique technology integrates the high-current capacity of bus bars with high-density signal, control and sense electronics. Circuits carrying 1,000A can be combined on the same board as the logic circuits.

Custom Engineering	Power Density	Power and Signal Integration	Variety of Interconnections
All Power PCBs are custom solutions tailored to designers' needs and application requirements. Methode has a culture of constantly pushing our existing manufacturing processes to accommodate new application requirements, and welcomes the challenge to identify or develop new processes to meet the most demanding requirements. Improved densities can be achieved utilizing any one of the Power PCB technologies. Extreme Copper, Heavy Copper and PowerLink are all tools that can benefit the designer by reducing the board area required to create power and control circuits. Heavy Copper PCBs in Automotive Applications UPE successfully developed more reliable current-carrying components for Electric Vehicle (EV) inverters. PowerLink describes the use of two or more copper weights on the same layer of a printed circuit board. The heavy copper and standard copper features can be interconnected. This allows for fine-pitch devices using standard copper traces to be mounted on the same layer with power devices demanding the use of heavy copper tracks. The Development of PowerLink Technology After the development of Extreme Copper technology, UPE recognized a need to connect two or more PCB land areas having dissimilar copper weights. This resulted in our PowerLink technology. A variety of interface connections to the PCB are possible and may include WovenBud, PowerBud™, RK Series, pin connectors, edge connectors, lug connections and through-holes fastener connections.

Our Power PCB Solutions

Our PCBs are a robust and economical way to carry higher current values with or without integrating electronic components. Featuring copper-thickness, layer-count and connection-type options, customers can determine the specifications that best fit their needs. Access the UPE Design Guide for recommendations and limitations for designing with heavy copper.

Heavy Copper PCBs

Copper weights of 4 oz./sq. ft. (.0056 in.) to 19 oz./sq. ft. (.0266 in.) allow heavy copper PCBs to carry much higher current values than traditional PCBs. This can be an economical solution to other alternatives. In addition, robust heavy copper-plated through-holes are a perfect solution for problems associated with through-hole failures.