If you need a PCB, you should be able to specify your PCB thickness after considering these factors:

1. FPC manufacturer’s Equipment Capability

This is the first and most important consideration for your PCB thickness. If the manufacturer does not have the equipment to produce a certain type of thickness, they will not meet your design requirements.

They may not be able to manufacture the printed circuit board all together. Determine this in the early stages of the manufacturing process. If not, you will be forced to make modifications to your PCB layout.

2. Size and Weight

Thinner PCB boards are lighter. This means that they are more flexible than their thicker counterparts. Despite their flexibility, thin boards are brittle.

If your application does not require flexibility, then you can use a considerable amount of thickness. This will offer strong structural integrity.

Thicker boards also come with a downside, including the consumption of a lot of space within a device. This may pose a problem for an application with limited space capacity. The size and weight are the first parameters that define the PCB design.

3. Board Materials

The lifetime of a PCB board and its operation depends on the choice of materials. Typical board fabrication consists of the substrate, laminate, solder mask, and silkscreen. Even so, the substrate and laminate are the most important for consideration.

The substrate often consists of a glass weave, epoxy, or paper resin, depending on the dielectric constant. On the other hand, laminates consist of cloths or paper layers. These materials not only affect the structure of the board but also the overall thickness.

4. Types of Signals

FPC manufacturer tells you PCB boards carry multiple signals. These signals determine the materials that are used in the manufacturing process, and they choose the ultimate thickness of the board.

For instance, if your PCB board carries high power signals, it will require thick, copper-wide traces. This means that the board will be significantly thicker.

5. Number of PCB Layers

The more layers your PCB board requires, the thicker it will be. While two to six layers will offer standard PCB thickness, eight or more layers will not. Manufacturers may use thinner PCBs to achieve standard thickness, making it increasingly impractical as the layers increase.

If you are looking for standard thickness, cutting down on your PCB layers is paramount. However, if your design needs more layers, then you will have to allow greater thickness.

6. Operating Environment

The thickness of the board and the materials that are used in the design process affects your PCB’s conductivity. 

A PCB board with thin thickness will not thrive in a rugged operating environment as this requires a thick and sturdy PCB.

On the flip side, PCB boards that come with thick copper traces are sub-optimal for high-voltage environments. By considering such factors, manufacturers can determine the desired thickness level.

Going over all of these factors with your manufacturer is important as it will guide the design and production process. It will equally give your manufacturer the capability to express their abilities.