Matching CCL to the PCB Project – Perfect match for your needs

Sections / Key Points:

1.What is CCL and why it’s the base of PCB performance

A Copper Clad Laminate (CCL) is a basic material used to make printed circuit boards (PCBs), consisting of a thin sheet of copper foil bonded to an insulating core, like a fiberglass-reinforced epoxy resin. These laminates provide the necessary electrical insulation and mechanical support for circuits, and are processed to create the conductive pathways on a PCB. 

2.Types of CCL Materials / Substrates

• FR-4 (standard, high Tg variant)
• Halogen-free FR-4
• Polyimide (for high temp, flexible)
• Metal core / Aluminium CCL (for thermal dissipation)
• CEM-1, CEM-3, paper-based (“cheap boards”)

3.Key Properties to Consider

• Dielectric Constant (Dk) & Loss Tangent (Df) — especially for high frequency boards.
• Thermal Properties: Tg (Glass transition), CTE (thermal expansion), thermal conductivity.
• Mechanical Strength, Peel Strength (copper adhesion) etc.
• Environmental / Regulatory: RoHS, Halogen-free, lead-free compatibility.

4.Cost vs Performance Trade-Offs

• Why very high performance laminates cost more (raw material, special processes).
• How sometimes over-spec’ing raises cost without benefit.
• Suggestions how to optimize: pick the minimal spec that ensures lifetime and reliability, avoid unnecessary overengineering.

How Chetumax Sales and MM Enterprise assist you in choosing according to your needs:

• Expertise in sourcing different types of CCL.
• Help customers pick the correct spec.
• Transparent quoting with explanation of material, copper weight, finish, etc, along with the option of importing at Chinese FOB price and if you want, we can import under your company name too.
• Access to top-notch Chinese suppliers, with quality checks and certificates from SGS, RoHS so you don’t get surprises.