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Aluminium PCB vs FR4. Which one does your board need?
Aluminium MCPCB carries heat away from LEDs. FR4 brings strength and moisture resistance. Here is how they compare, which products use which, and when CEM3 or CEM1 does the job for less.
Aluminium PCB vs FR4, side by side.
Both are single-sided at Sara Circuits, 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm thick, with 35 µm (1 oz) or 70 µm (2 oz) copper. The difference is what sits under the copper.
| Aluminium PCB (MCPCB) | FR4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Base | One copper layer on a thin dielectric, bonded to an aluminium base | Woven glass epoxy laminate |
| What it is best at | Carrying heat away from LEDs | Strength, moisture resistance and vibration |
| Heat path | Heat passes through the dielectric into the aluminium and spreads out, so LEDs run cooler | Handles heat better than paper laminates, but has no metal base to spread LED heat |
| Typical products | LED bulbs, DOBs, emergency bulbs, panels, downlights, battens, street and flood lights, DRL and fog lamp modules | Battery chargers, automotive lamps and indicators, industrial controls, telecom, higher-power drivers |
| Solder mask | White (standard for LED), green, black | Green, white, black |
| Cutting | Punched on blanking dies, CNC routed, or V-cut into strips | CNC routed |
| Ready dies | Round bulb and DOB sizes from 38 mm to 132 mm already in our library | Quoted on your outline |
| Cost | At the higher end of the five materials we use | At the higher end of the five materials we use |
Choose aluminium PCB when the board carries LEDs that must stay cool.
Heat decides how long an LED keeps its brightness. An aluminium base pulls that heat out of the board. Aluminium PCB (MCPCB)
High-power LEDs
Bulbs, panels, downlights, street and flood lights. LEDs on an aluminium base run cooler and last longer than on paper or glass-epoxy boards.
Closed housings
A sealed bulb or downlight traps heat. MCPCB is the safe choice for high-power LEDs in a closed fitting.
Driver on board (DOB)
Driver and LEDs on one aluminium board. Ready dies for 82, 112 and 132 mm. Keep mains spacing to your product standard. DOB PCB
LED bulb boards
Round bulb MCPCBs from everyday 9 W bulbs up, punched on dies already in our library. LED bulb PCB
Vehicle DRL and fog lamps
High-power automotive LEDs need an aluminium base to carry heat away from the LEDs. Automotive PCB
Battens and tube lights
Long, narrow aluminium boards V-cut into strips that snap apart after assembly.
Choose FR4 when strength, moisture or current matter more than LED heat.
Woven glass epoxy is the strongest of the laminates we use. CEM1 vs FR4
Battery chargers
Inverter, e-rickshaw and two-wheeler battery chargers carry high current. FR4 with 70 µm copper is the usual choice. Charger PCB
Automotive lamps and indicators
Glass-epoxy FR4 resists cracking under vibration and handles temperature swings better than paper laminates. Used for tail lamps, sequential indicators, interior and number-plate lights.
Industrial and telecom
Controls that see moisture, vibration or long duty cycles.
Higher-power LED drivers
Driver boards that run hot or carry more current. Pair FR4 with 70 µm copper where current is high. LED driver PCB
Neither? Look at CEM3 and CEM1.
Many products do not need aluminium or FR4. Choosing the lower-cost laminate where it does the job keeps the board price down.
CEM3 for low-power LEDs
Non-woven glass core. Can work for low-power battens and decorative lights, and for drivers that run warm, at lower cost than FR4.
CEM1 for drivers and chargers
Paper core with a glass-epoxy surface. The standard for chargers, LED drivers, SMPS and appliance boards. Punches cleanly in volume.
Two boards, two materials
Most LED fittings use an aluminium LED board and a separate CEM1, CEM3 or FR4 driver board. We make both under one roof.
Which board for which product.
A starting point. We confirm the material after reviewing your design and operating conditions.
| Product | LED board | Driver or control board |
|---|---|---|
| LED bulb | Aluminium MCPCB | CEM1 driver strip (17 × 34 / 17 × 40 mm ready dies) |
| DOB bulb or downlight | Aluminium MCPCB, driver on the same board | — |
| Emergency / rechargeable bulb | Aluminium MCPCB | CEM1 |
| Panel and downlight | Aluminium MCPCB; CEM3 for low power | CEM1 or CEM3 |
| Batten and tube light | Aluminium MCPCB V-cut strips; CEM3 for low power | CEM1 |
| Street and flood light | Aluminium MCPCB | FR4 |
| Vehicle DRL and fog lamp | Aluminium MCPCB | — |
| Vehicle tail lamp and indicator | FR4 or aluminium MCPCB | FR4 |
| Battery charger | — | FR4, 70 µm copper |
Designing for aluminium or FR4.
Our CAM team checks these points before a panel is printed.
Large thermal pads
On aluminium, use the LED maker's recommended footprint and keep copper continuous under and around each LED to spread heat into the base.
White mask on LED boards
White solder mask reflects light back out of the fitting. Green and black are available on both materials.
Mains spacing on DOBs
DOB and driver-on-board designs carry mains voltage next to the LEDs. Give us the creepage your standard needs and we check every gap. Spacing guide
Copper for the current
35 µm suits most LED and driver boards. High-current boards usually need 70 µm or wider tracks. Trace width calculator
Match a ready die
If your round LED board matches one of our 21 ready blanking dies, you skip tooling cost and lead time. Ready dies
Single-sided only
We make one copper layer on every material. Design aluminium and FR4 boards as single-sided.
Questions? Answers.
Is aluminium PCB better than FR4?
For LEDs, yes: the aluminium base carries heat away, so LEDs run cooler and last longer. For battery chargers, automotive indicator boards and industrial controls, FR4 is the better choice because it is stronger and handles moisture and vibration well.
Is an aluminium PCB the same as an MCPCB?
Yes. Aluminium PCB, aluminium MCPCB and metal core PCB describe the same board: copper on a dielectric layer bonded to an aluminium base.
Can I use FR4 for an LED board?
Yes, for many automotive lamp and indicator boards. For high-power LEDs or LEDs in a closed housing, use aluminium MCPCB. For low-power battens and decorative lights, CEM3 can work at lower cost.
Which is cheaper, aluminium PCB or FR4?
Both sit at the higher end of the five materials we use; FR1, CEM1 and CEM3 cost less. The price of your board depends on size, copper, finish and quantity, so we quote on your design.
What thickness do you make?
Aluminium MCPCB and FR4 are both made from 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm, with 35 µm (1 oz) or 70 µm (2 oz) copper.
Do you make double-sided aluminium or FR4 boards?
No. We make single-sided boards only, on FR1, CEM1, CEM3, FR4 and aluminium MCPCB.
Can you advise which material to use?
Yes. Send your Gerber and tell us the product, LED power and operating conditions. We confirm the material before quoting.
What is the minimum order at Sara Circuits?
40 m² of board per design (part number), not 40 pieces. That is about 430 sq ft, or about 16,000 pcs of a 50 × 50 mm board. For regular customers only, designs below 40 m² can be run with a ₹2,500 development charge.
Related: Aluminium PCB (MCPCB) · CEM1 vs FR4 material guide · LED PCB manufacturer · LED bulb PCB · DOB PCB · Automotive PCB · Single-sided PCB guide
Not sure which material?
Attach the Gerber, tell us the product, LED power and quantity. We will recommend the material and quote it.