With the new requirement for consumer electronics, it is not surprising to see that PCBs, one of the core components, have also been modified to fit into that purpose. There is an increased demand for the Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS), which is also called the Metal Core PCB.
It is a type of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) constructed on a metallic plate, most especially aluminum. This type of PCB also has a dielectric layer that separates it from the copper conductors. The outcome is that the IMS is used in applications that require higher dielectric stability and excellent heat dissipation.
A List of IMS Suppliers in China
China is a hub for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) production and as such, the country boasts of an extensive list of PCB manufacturers.
Below is a list of some of the leading Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS) PCB manufacturers in China:
1. Rayming PCB & Assembly
RayPCB is one of the leading manufacturers of Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS) in China, owing to the many years of experience and the extensive services it offers.
The company’s IMS capabilities range from handling up to 4 layers of aluminum base board and using different materials, such as iron base, aluminum and copper.
Solder Mask Specifications
The solder mask specifications include the company’s offering of different solder mask colors, such as blue, green, white, black and purple. Also included in the glossy solder mask colors are red and yellow.
For the matt solder mask color, the company only offers black and green.
Below are the specifications for the solder mask resolution:
- Solder Mask Hole Plug Diameter: 10mil to 25mil
- Solder Mask Thickness: between 0.2mil and 1.6mil
- Solder Dam: Green 4mil / Other Colors 5mil
Strict IMS PCB Compliances
RayPCB is one IMS supplier that places a premium on the quality of services it offers. In terms of the IMS manufacturing, the company ensures that it offers the best of compliances.
For example, the IMS PCB services align with the IPC Class 2, the IPC Class 3 and the ISO9000 standards.
Surface Treatment Options
RayPCB also offers a wide range of surface treatment options for the IMS PCB. Included in the list of options are:
- Regular Lead, such as HASL
- Lead-Free, such as Immersion Silver, Lead-Free HASL, OSP and ENG Gold
2. PCBMay
This is the second IMS manufacturer we want to review. A couple of factors set this company apart from the regular IMS manufacturer out there.
Below are some of the reasons why working with PCBMay is worth it:
One-Stop Services
The company offers one-stop or in-house services for IMS. This ranges from fabrication to the final designs of the Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS) PCB.
Certifications
In line with keeping to the existing requirements, PCBMay ensures that the IMS services are in line with the relevant certifications.
The certifications include but are not limited to:
- REACH
- RoHS
- ISO 9001
- UL and;
- IPC
The compliance to the above certifications helps the company to ensure that most of the IMS PCBs are fit for the different applications.
Different IMS PCB Services
PCBMay offers different kinds of IMS PCBs. Below is a summary of how each of those PCBs work:
- Multilayer Dual Component-Mounting Side IMS PCB: This type of IMS PCB comprises multiple copper layers and dual-side component. It is also a complex design and can be customized to fit into the users or consumers’ needs.
- Aluminum Metal Substrate PCB: This is the core IMS PCB. PCBMay ensures that it creates both functional and durable aluminum metal substrate PCB for the diverse applications.
- Single-Sided Metal Core IMS PCB: This type of IMS PCB only uses one side and is commonly used for the simplest circuitry arrangements. It is commonly used for LED PCBs and Solid-State Relay (SSR) PCBs.
- Copper Metal Substrate PCBs: This type of IMS PCB offers excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. It also comes with customizations that the manufacturer, PCBMay, offers to improve the performance in the target applications.
- Stainless Steel Metal Substrate PCB: As the name signifies, it uses stainless steel metal as the base material. This type of IMS PCB also offers an improved thermal performance and a lower electrical performance, especially when compared to the aluminum and copper PCBs.
3. Venture Electronics
When it comes to picking a reliable IMS PCB manufacturer, one important factor to consider is the company’s expertise. We picked Venture Electronics because it offers a wide range of IMS PCB services.
It is important to point out here that the company specializes in the production of laser-targeted IMS PCBs, which can be used for a variety of applications.
Below are some of the additional reasons why working with Venture Electronics guarantees an all-around improvement to your IMS PCB:
Aluminum-Based IMS PCB
The company specializes in making IMS PCBs that are based on aluminum. It is one of the reasons why the company delivers exceedingly for dielectrics, which can potentially offer up to 10 times improved thermal conductivity.
Standardized IMS PCB
Venture Electronics has a standard for IMS PCBs, which is why the manufacturer produces only high-standard IMS PCBs.
Affordable IMS PCBs
You can also rely on Venture Electronics to offer some of the best IMS PCB services without having to charge an arm and a leg. The cost of getting this type of PCB from the company is relatively cheap, when compared to the other IMS PCB manufacturers.
4. MADPCB
Here is another IMS PCB manufacturer in China. MADPCB takes pride in offering extensive circuit board services, especially as they relate to IMS.
If you are looking for reasons to work with the company, here are a couple of reasons:
One-Stop IMS PCB Solution
You don’t necessarily need to look elsewhere for IMS PCB services if you are to work with MADPCB. The company offers an extensive service, in the sense that it offers most of the services you may want.
From custom design, fabrication and assembly of Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS) PCB, the company offers it all.
MADPCB also offers IMS PCB prototyping and production services. That way, you are certain that the company can offer any kind of IMS PCB service you want – from one platform.
MADPCB Manufactures Different IMS PCBs
It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a single-sided or a double-sided IMS PCB. You can be sure that MADPCB will cover all those.
The company specializes in offering an extensive IMS PCB production service, which runs from aluminum core IMS PCB, double-sided IMS PCB and copper core IMS PCB.
5. PCBONLINE
If you have always desired to place an order for IMS PCB online and get it in good time, it is better to do so through a company that uses that medium. PCBONLINE is that online IMS PCB company that takes your order over the Internet and does a swell job out of it.
The company isn’t coming out of the blues, as it has been offering a wide range of PCB design services since 1999. For emphasis, the company’s resolve to offer an online medium for PCB services is to help bridge the gap between the consumers and the company as a way of streamlining the communication process.
If you are intent on picking PCBONLINE for your next IMS PCB project, here are a couple of upsides to doing so:
Certified IMS PCB Manufacturing Bases
There are up to 6 different kinds of standards in IMS PCB production. These standards are in place to help the manufacturing with sticking to the expected quality assurances of the circuit boards.
It is against that background that PCBONLINE offers multiple standards, ranging from IPC, ISO 9001:2015, UL, REACH and RoHS.
With these standards in place, you can be sure that the IMS circuit boards will meet the minimum requirements for each of the standards.
Cost Reduction
If there is any factor that influences the number of IMS circuit boards one can order for, it is the cost.
Depending on the specifications and a host of other factors, the cost could considerably be higher.
However, you may be able to save up on costs if you are working with PCBONLINE. The company tends to offer a significant reduction in costs because of the attainment of the industry 4.0 manufacturing for aluminum PCB.
The company also promises to save more costs and time via the independence of having a sheet factory for aluminum PCB.
Besides, you can benefit from the cost-saving mechanism if you are ordering for more IMS circuit boards. The manufacturer promises to charge $30 per square meters for bulk orders of the aluminum PCB.
One-Stop IMS PCB Production
PCBONLINE ensures that most of the IMS PCB services you will need are in-house. In this case, you can benefit from the free complete PCBA samples, the free design for manufacturing and the one-on-one engineering support.
Diversified IMS PCB Portfolio
No matter the type of IMS circuit board you need, rest assured that PCBONLINE would have you covered. The company has an extensive portfolio ranging from copper isolation-based PCBs, iron-based PCBs and stainless-steel metal substrate PCBs.
The manufacturer also produces the following kinds of IMS PCBs:
- Aluminum metal substrate PCBs
- Single-sided metal core IMS PCBs
- Dual component-mounting side IMS PCBs
- Multilayer dual component-mounting side IMS PCBs
IMS PCB Manufacturers Outside China
While China boasts of some of the leading manufacturers of the IMS circuit boards, the country doesn’t have it all. A couple of other experienced manufacturers operate outside China, especially in Europe.
Here is a breakdown of some of the offshore IMS PCB manufacturers and the services they have to offer:
Euro Circuits
Euro Circuits serve the European market. The manufacturer offers high-performance Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS) boards that are designed for use with automotive, high-intensity LED, and power conversion applications.
The company offers the service via the IMS Pool, which allows for the provision of affordable IMS circuit board solutions.
Here are some of the inclusions in the Euro Circuits’ IMS Pool:
- Analyses: the manufacturer offers extensive analyses to be certain that the IMS circuit boards are functioning optimally. Included here are the BOM and CPL analysis, as well as the PCB Checker, which is used to make pre-analysis of data before accepting an IMS PCB order.
- PCB Configurator: this helps to check and upload the relevant design parameters before releasing the quotation or pricing for the job.
- Short Lead Time: Euro Circuits don’t spend all the time in the world working on an IMS circuit board. The manufacturer has one of the shortest lead times, pegged at 5 working days for the bare IMS boards and up to 10 working days for the assemble IMS PCBs.
Multi Circuit Boards
This is the next offshore IMS PCB manufacturer, targeting the European market. Multi Circuit Boards specialize in the production of metal core circuit boards, which offer higher levels of dimensional stability, reduced failure rate, higher packing density and higher operational safety.
The following are included in the manufacturer’s IMS PCB service:
- Design rule check and e-testing
- Up to 100µm of insulation thickness
- Clean and simple V-scoring
- 2.0 W/mK thermal conductivity
- Milling inner and outer
Momentum Circuits
Momentum Circuits promise to offer a considerable quality and cost-effective design to the Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS) PCB to users in the United Kingdom.
The company’s competing standards against other manufacturers range from the testing of the IMS circuit boards beyond the IPC requirements, the underwriting of every IMS circuit board it manufactures against attrition and component loss, as well as engineered cost-optimization for the aluminum and solid copper material PCBs.
The company also excels because of the following reasons:
- The IMS circuit boards are optimized for use in the architectural and marine applications.
- Halogen replacement and;
- Automotive TS19949 approval
Conclusion
To wrap it up, there are numerous IMS PCB manufacturers you can find not just in China, but also in Europe. However, the key to picking the best manufacturer is to be acquainted with the manufacturer’s design process, the types of supported design standards it follows and the varieties of IMS circuit boards it produces.
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