High Quality FR2 PCB Made in China

PCBMAY – The Expert in FR2 PCB Manufacture

Typical orders of FR2 PCBs comprise Single-layer PCBs. Customers buy these products as components of simple appliances. Hence, PCBMay’s loyal customer base buys the FR2 PCB in huge volumes. We make sure of the following is done for the customer’s FR2 PCB order:

• Fiberglass base is of the finest quality
• The conductive copper layer is dependable
• No excess solder mask used
• Correct holes drilled for components
• Soldering of electronic components double-checked

Diligence characterizes our work ethic. PCBMay’s professional sales and engineering personnel check your order thoroughly. The engineers of PCBMay are qualified people who have a reputable work history. Meanwhile, our sales people are trained to listen to your needs carefully. Our people speak clearly and can be understood by international clients.

Quality-wise, all your FR2 PCB orders will be subject to thorough inspections. PCBMay uses 100% E-test as well as AOI inspection to make sure you are pleased with your product. We aim to make all our customers happy with our high-class PCBs.

If you’ve got any questions at all about our fabrication process or our plant, our communication lines are open. You can message us through this website, email us, or give us a call anytime. We are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day in your time zone.

There is no minimum order for any of your PCB requests. PCBMay is capable of not just FR2 PCBs, but Rigid-flex PCBs, Flexible PCBs, even PCBs for Automotive applications. That is how good we are as PCB makers.

We are also affordable! So, what are you waiting for?

Contact PCBMay now for your FR2 and other PCB needs!

FR2 PCB: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

FR2 is one of the most popular materials used in the fabrication of circuit boards. For single-layer PCBs, FR2 is the material of choice.

Are you looking for information on FR2 and getting the same answer from every source? There is no need to look any further. You have arrived at the right spot. The purpose of this FAQ guide is to clarify any doubts you might have about the FR2 PCB.

What Is FR2 PCB?

Flame Resistant 2 (FR-2 PCB) is the NEMA classification for synthetic resin-bound paper. A thermoplastic phenol-formaldehyde resin-infused paper composite material is used to make printed circuit boards.

Copper-coated FR2 is a rigid, flat material. A non-conductive phenolic resin is used as a base for the copper layer.

It is a crucial component in the fabrication of electronic circuits. The thin copper coating may be etched or milled away to install electrical components properly. This makes soldering easier.

FR2 PCB

For many applications, it can be used instead of NEMA rating XXXP (MIL-P-3115) material, which has similar properties. FR-2 PCB is utilized for basic structural designs as well as electrical insulation without the need for copper sheet lamination.

What Are The FR2 PCB Specifications?

FR2 is a laminate placed on top of circuit boards to protect them from damage. Many unique features distinguish the FR2 PCB from other printed circuit boards. They are listed as follows:

• The dielectric constant or relative permittivity of FR2 PCB is 4.5.
• The dissipation factor for FR2 PCBs ranges from 0.024 to 0.26.
• They have a dielectric strength of roughly 29 kV/mm (740 V/thou)
• The temperature limit of FR2 is around 105 degrees celsius.

FR2 Circuit Board Specifications

How Many Layers A FR2 PCB Can Have?

It is a member of the FR group (flame resistant).  They are mainly used in single-layer and low-density designs. But, these PCB materials are applicable in multilayer circuit board designs in some cases.

FR2 PCB Materials

What Are The Composition Of FR2 PCB?

Paper-reinforced phenolic resin and flame retardants combine to form the standard FR2 laminate. Copper is the most common metal used to make conductors in most applications.

Tin-lead is used to protect metals from being etched.

Nickel and silver are also often utilized in FR2 PCB. Electrical and thermal properties performance can be affected by the resin type and reinforcing used in FR2 circuit boards.

Chips, connectors, capacitors, and other components are often found on FR2 PCBs. Bridge and holes on circuit boards are constructed of ceramics, like BeO and glasses, while solder junctions comprise Au, Pb, and Cd.

FR2 Circuit Board Compositions

What Are The Applications Of FR2 PCB?

A copper foil laminated FR-2 sheet is frequently used in electronics. FR2 PCBs can be used in a variety of ways, including:

Medical Instrument:

• CT scanners, ultrasound scanners, X-ray screens, and other scanning equipment rely on FR2 PCB to operate.
• There are various medical instruments used in medical research to collect data and test results. Conventional electron microscopes, control mechanisms, compressors, as well as other equipment use FR2 PCB.

Consumer Electronics:

• Smartphones, wearable technology, tablets, and radios all use FR2 PCBs as a basis for the product’s functionality.
• FR2 PCBs are used in desktops and laptops.  It is common for electronic gadgets to have circuit boards.
• Your television, audio system, DVD player, and gaming consoles all include PCBs at the heart of their designs.

FR2 Circuit Board Applications

How Does FR2 PCB Function?

FR2 sheets are quite renowned among electrical designers and engineers as PCB foundation material. The cheap cost and adaptability of the substance and its beneficial physical qualities contribute to its widespread use and acceptance.

FR2 sheets are insulators with a high dielectric constant, making them ideal for use in electronics. They also have a high strength-to-weight ratio, compact and moisture-resistant, and other environmental factors.

When you combine this with their relative heat resistance, FR2 materials may operate well in a wide range of environmental situations. The FR2 PCB keeps the components securely and protects them from any external influences, assuring that everything functions properly.

FR2 PCB High Functionality

How is FR2 PCB Temperature?

The FR2 material is very temperature resistant, so you can put your trust in it. Materials for PCBs that are acceptable for use in high-temperature situations are found in FR2.

Products subjected to high thermal loads or operating in the region of 105 degrees Celsius benefit from the use of FR2 material. If you work with specific high-power density designs, PCB built of FR2 material can be a good pick.

Because they only have one layer, FR2 PCBs cannot withstand high vibration. For consumer electronics, they may be utilized at temperatures below 105 degrees Celsius.

What Are The Notable Advantages Of FR2 PCB?

Using FR2 Laminate in your PCB can provide you with the following benefits:

• The strength-to-weight ratio of the FR2 is excellent.
• This is a very thin and lightweight material.
• It is a very excellent moisture resistor, and it also has a fair amount of resistance to the temperatures found outside the structure.
• It is a cheap and highly low-cost material, which makes it very favorable for various applications.
• This material has excellent electric loss characteristics.
• Because of its high dielectric strength, it makes a significant contribution to the electrical insulating qualities of the material.

FR2 Circuit Board Advantages

What Is FR2 PCB Assembly?

FR2 PCB assembly is the procedure of attaching electrical components to the printed circuit board’s wirings. PCBs include traces, or conductive paths etched into the laminated sheet layers of copper that are used to build the assembly.

Before using a fully operating electronic device, the last step is to attach the electrical parts to the FR2 PCB.

You should give attention to detail and extreme accuracy as they are essential for FR2 PCB assembly. Assembling electrical devices using FR2 PCBs may be done in three ways:

SMT (Surface Mount Technology)

Many PCB assembly businesses are presently using a technology first established in the 1960s and refined in the 1980s. Metal tabbed PCB components are used in the process, which makes soldering PCBs easier. When parts are soldered on both edges of the PCB, the approach allows for larger circuit density.

SMT Assembly Of  FR2 PCB

Plated Through-hole

Leads are joined to components in this procedure. There are holes punched into the FR2 PCBs required for this type of construction. The leads have been successfully placed into the drilled holes, it is now easier to integrate the PCBs with the parts.

Mechanical-electrical Assembly

This assembling PCBs with electronic components utilizes wire harnesses, looms, bespoke metalwork, wire assembly, and molded plastics.

What Are The Design Considerations For FR2 PCB?

When it comes to FR2 PCB layout and design, there is a lot to consider. While some concerns apply to the whole process, others are more focused on a single stage. This board is so sensitive that you must be very careful while handling it. The following are the most important considerations.

Board Limitations

The initial limits to consider are those of the bare board. The board’s size and form are examples of fundamental restrictions. Ensure you have enough board space for the circuit. The board’s size is determined by the final product’s size and usefulness.

Manufacturing Techniques

Consider the manufacturing procedures you want to use to make the board. Methods have restrictions and constraints.

Materials and Parts

During the layout process, examine the board’s parts and materials. Make sure the requested things are accessible first. Some materials and components are scarce, while others are prohibitively costly. Take your time choosing the best materials for your FR2 board and designing a board highlighting their capabilities.

Component Order

The basic PCB design principle is component placement order. Connectors come first, followed by power circuits, precision circuits, crucial circuits, and the remainder of the components.

Orientation

When arranging components, attempt to align them in the same orientation. This will speed up the soldering process and reduce errors.

Placement

Keep items that will sit below plated through-hole pieces away from the solder surface of the FR2 PCB.

FR2 Single-Layer Circuit Board Design

What Designing Software Can You Use For FR2 PCB?

Choosing the best PCB design software might be a challenge. An FR2 PCB design tool that works well for one project may not be the best choice for others.

There are several circuit design software packages available to meet users’ needs with a wide range of layout requirements. Altium Designer is an excellent tool for designing FR2 PCBs. It offers a straightforward UI that you can get used to in no time.

Yet another piece of software, ‘Eagle’ is also quite capable of FR2 PCB design. It includes an intuitive user interface and a powerful schematic diagram function. Although it is not accessible, the cost is reasonable.

Several neat features are included, including a batch command script file for execution, copper cladding, and an interactive follower. Furthermore, the software’s library is extensive, and it supports the usage of scripts and the inclusion of CAM tools.

FR2 PCB Design Through Eagle

What Is The Manufacturing Process Of FR2 PCB?

A well-manufactured FR2 PCB promotes the device quality to a great extent. Its entire manufacturing is a lengthy work that is divided into various parts. You need to maintain supreme quality in each step of manufacturing for optimizing this circuit board.

Now, we are going to explain all the steps of an FR2 PCB manufacturing process for your convenience.

PCB Layout Design

First, you need to draw a schematic of this PCB. It is the outline of your circuit board design. Then, design the PCB layout by using reliable design software. Nowadays, various design software is used in designing FR2 circuit boards.

Then, you have to convert this design file into Gerber format. The Gerber file contains all the required information related to PCB manufacturing. Besides, it is important to conduct a design rule checking for finding faults in the design.

After completing the checking, send the file to the manufacturer to handle the further steps.

Printing

In this stage, the FR2 circuit board laminate needs to wash. Then, it receives the photoresist that is composed of photoreactive chemicals. A UV-ray is dropped upon this board to perform the printing process.

After preparing, the circuit board should be washed with proper liquid.

Initial Etching

Etching means eliminating unwanted copper from the PCB laminate. Here, the FR2 PCB board covered with photoresists goes through a copper solvent bath. Then, the unmasked coppers get washed.

FR2 PCB Manufacturing

Alignment of PCB Layer

After a successful primary etching, it is required to align the PCB layers. An automated optical inspection can be run for checking this layer alignment and other features of this PCB.

Binding Of Layers

In this segment, you need to bind PCB layers. The outer PCB layers should be connected to the substrate.

PCB Drilling

Now, it is time to drill holes on the stack PCB board. Here, maintaining the hole diameter and drilling speed concerning the shape of PCB components is essential. Usually, an X-ray is used in finding the proper placement of drilling.

Copper Coating

After drilling, a copper coating is applied to fill up the drilled holes. Besides, plating binds the layers together. Then, image the external PCB layers by applying photoresists once again.

Final Etching

Then, the board is placed in a toxic Ferric Chloride solution. It reduces unwanted coppers again. In this case, you must cover the necessary portions through a protective mask.

Watch this video to know more about etching:

Application Of Solder Mask

In this stage, cover the board with solder mask ink. Then, apply a solder mask on both sides of the FR2 circuit board.

PCB Surface Finish

Surface finish is a reliable technique for improving solderability and protecting the PCB surface from corrosion. In this part, a suitable metal is coated on the copper layer according to the requirement of electronic devices.

Assembly Testing

In the end, an electrical test along with a functional test is conducted. It ensures an error-free Fr2 circuit board assembly. Then, the last thing is cutting the circuit board from the panel.

This is the basic manufacturing process of FR2 PCB. You can find some variations concerning the consumer’s demand.

How Do You Mount The Components On FR2 PCB?

You can mount PCB components on FR2 PCB Through two popular mounting technologies. These are-

• Surface Mount Technology (SMT)
• Through-hole Technology (THT)

SMT deals with surface mount devices. It is convenient for a designer to place these components in compact designs that lead to a miniature application. It ultimately makes the device lightweight.

Besides, surface mount technology provides tremendous robustness to the components. That’s why SMDs offer supreme mechanical stability under high temperatures and vibrations.

Moreover, components can be placed on both sides of the FR2 circuit board in this case. So, it is widely used in high-density FR2 PCB projects.

On the contrary, THT is applicable for PCB components having leads. Here, these components are placed on the surface by using drilled holes. After completing the insertion properly, you need to solder the components by applying THR (Through-hole Reflow) or wave soldering.

THT promotes the durability and thermal resistivity of the FR2 PCB board. Again, through-hole components are compatible with both prototype PCBs and advanced designs.

SMT And THT In PCB Assembly

But, the FR2 circuit board supports SMT more than THT because of its improved reliability and high rate of component placement. Moreover, the drilling process increases the cost of THT.

That’s why surface mount technology has better uses for mounting components in FR2 PCB assembly. The following video will help you to know more about component soldering in PCB:

How Does FR2 PCB Compare To FR1 PCB?

FR2 PCB and FR1 PCBs have numerous similarities in terms of specifications and performance. But, these two circuit boards have a disparity in multiple issues. We are here with a comparative analysis between these PCBs. Let’s have a look.

Improved Insulation

FR2 circuit boards offer improved insulating properties in electronic products. FR2 materials ensure sufficient dielectric strength in the circuit board designs. So, this PCB is capable of carrying higher current loads.

But, the dielectric strength of FR1 PCB materials is not supportive of improving insulation in many cases.

Reliability

In terms of reliability, FR2 circuit boards are better than FR1 PCBs due to their signal integrity. This PCB is less vulnerable to electromagnetic interference, noise, etc issues that hamper the reliability of a PCB.

On the other hand, FR1 circuit boards suffer from noise while transferring data to the receiver end. In this case, FR2 PCB delivers improved performance compared to FR1 PCB.

Easy Maintenance

The maintenance of this circuit board is easy and costs low. FR1 PCB maintenance cost is comparatively higher than the PCBs composed of FR1 materials.

Through-hole Technology

Both of these PCBs are not supportive of through-hole technology for component mounting. But, you can apply THT in the FR2 circuit board assembly.

Glass Transition Temperature

FR1 materials offer higher glass transition temperature (130⁰C) than FR2 PCB materials. They deliver more impressive thermal performance. FR2 is a standard TG material. Its TG is around 105⁰C. So, the thermal management of FR2 circuit boards is not similar to FR1 PCB.

FR2 Vs FR1 PCB

What Are The Differences Between FR2 PCB And FR4 PCB?

FR4 is the most used PCB material in the electronic world. FR2 PCB is not as highly effective as FR4 PCBs. But, this PCB is preferable to those applications where manufacturing cost is a crucial factor.

If you look for temperature resistance in PCB materials, FR4 is the best option. But, FR2 materials provide adequate thermal resistivity in some applications. Besides, Fr4 materials improve the quality of multilayer PCB designs to a large extent.

Their dielectric strength, moisture absorption rate, etc properties are supremely impressive. That’s why these PCB materials have profound applications in different electronic sectors.

FR4 PCB

FR2 PCB specifications are also commendable. But these features do not always match the quality of FR4 materials. But, their low-cost feature makes it desirable to the low-volume PCB manufacturer.

How To Choose The Right Manufacturer Of FR2 PCB?

Usually, FR2 PCBs are applicable in single-layer designs in most cases. To ensure the optimum output of this circuit board, you need to choose the right manufacturer. But, it is not so simple to find a trustworthy PCB manufacturer in China.

You should keep in mind the following issues if you intend to make a good choice for FR2 PCB manufacturing.

High-Quality Materials

You must ensure its capability of sourcing high-quality FR2 materials. The base materials of FR2 PCB should have high TG and a high decomposition temperature.

Besides, a trusted manufacturer should have an abundance of materials to perform instant custom solutions.

Manufacturing Experience

An experienced FR2 circuit board manufacturer can deliver the best product as per your demand. So, you should give proper attention to this issue.

Technical Support

The manufacturer needs to have the ability to provide 24/7 technical support. For this purpose, it requires a well-equipped factory with professional technicians. Again, RoHS certification of the engineers is also crucial in this case.

Cost Performance

You have to choose an FR2 PCB supplier who can provide this PCB in affordable pieces.

Reliability

PCBs manufactured by a manufacturer must fulfill the demands of IPC class 2-3 standards. Besides, certifications from RoHS, CE, etc organizations are indicators of the manufacturer’s reliability. You must vary these certificates properly.

What Properties Affect FR2 PCB Performance?

It is reputable for its performance in various electronic applications. Its efficiency gets affected by some factors. Such as-

• Transition temperature
• Component placement
• Use of PCB vias.
• Dielectric constant
• Coefficient of thermal expansion
• Dielectric strength
• Decomposition temperature
• Moisture resistance
• Flammability
• Thermal conduction
• Impedance stability
• Proper layering
• Dimensional stability

FR2 PCB Thermal Properties

What Is The FR2 PCB Thickness?

FR2 PCB thickness normally varies from 1.6mm to 2.0mm. This variation occurs due to the use of a copper layer on the PCB surface. This thickness is suitable for single-layer applications and transmitting signals with reliability.

Conclusion

FR2 PCB is a dependable circuit board for many electronic projects. It ensures the supreme quality of fiberglass base. PCBMay is the leading FR2 PCB maker in China. We take care of every minute detail of its assembly.

This FAQ guide has already covered the most important topics related to this PCB. Contact us if you have more queries and want to satisfy your demands.