Megtron 6 vs FR4

Which board do you use to manufacture your PCBs: FR-4 or Megtron 6? FR-4 is the traditional material. It is used for standard and high-frequency circuit boards. FR-4 PCBs are more resistant to heat and have higher conductivity than their Megtron 6 counterparts. However, Megtron 6 has been taking over the market for some years for its smaller thermal expansion coefficient and lower cost.

Here we will give details about why Megtron 6 is making its way into electronics manufacturing and compare board Megtron 6 and FR-4.

Megtron 6 PCB Vs. FR4 PCB: A Comprehensive Comparison

Cost

The cost of manufacturing an FR4 board is higher than that of Megtron 6. However, it is cheaper than other materials like ceramic or aluminum. The cost difference between these two boards depends on how many layers you want to add to your design. The more layers you have in a board, the more expensive it gets to manufacture it using FR4 or Megtron 6.

Temperature

The FR4 board is made of a glass epoxy laminate material with a dielectric constant of 4.0-6.0, which has good high-frequency characteristics and heat resistance. It can be used for many applications, but its high-temperature performance is not ideal. Its highest working temperature is about 200 degrees Celsius, which should be avoided in higher thermal environments such as electronic products or fire control panels.

On the other hand, Megtron 6 can withstand temperatures up to 300 degrees Celsius, making it suitable for high-temperature applications such as electronic products or fire control panels and other fields where the surface temperature must be maintained at an elevated level for long periods.

Reliability

The Megtron is also more reliable than FR4 boards because it has better resistance to environmental stress cracking (ESC). This is caused by mechanical stress on the board when a component is inserted or removed. When an ESC occurs, the insulation layer beneath the copper foil may be damaged and cause high resistance between traces that can lead to potential short circuits. The Megtron 6 has better ESC resistance than FR4 boards due to its thicker dielectric layer, which provides better mechanical strength and reduces the possibility of being damaged during use.

Speed of Assembly

The Megtron 6 board is much faster to assemble than the FR4 board. The FR4 board needs to be drilled, which requires a high degree of accuracy and precision. The surface of the metal mold is also very smooth, so the drilling machine must be equipped with a particular drill bit that can cut through it without damaging the surface.

However, Megtron 6 does not require this type of drilling because it has a perforated metal plate on its back. In addition, as long as you have a soldering iron and some solder wire, it takes only five minutes to finish assembling a Megtron 6 board, excluding the testing process.

Impedance Control

The FR4 board has a low dielectric constant and a high relative permittivity (RE), which makes it easy to control the impedance. The electrical properties of the FR4 board are consistent with the requirements of modern digital circuits, making it widely used in high-frequency circuits.

The Megtron 6 PCB is made of copper foil and copper foil as an electrical conductor, with a thickness of 2oz or 3oz, which is much thicker than the FR4 PCB, so its impedance control performance is better than that of FR4.

In addition, Megtron 6 can be coated with several materials such as silver or nickel to improve the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) characteristics and reduce noise interference caused by external electromagnetic fields. It can also be galvanized or tinned after coating to increase corrosion resistance.

Power Dissipation

The power dissipation of FR4 boards is generally lower than that of glass epoxy boards because they have better insulation properties than glass epoxy boards and thus require less current to operate correctly. However, since FR4 boards have lower thermal conductivity than glass epoxy boards, their operating temperatures are also lower than those of glass epoxy boards; therefore, they are often used in low-power circuits with low power consumption requirements such as microprocessors.

High-Speed Performance

Megtron 6 has good electrical characteristics, high resistance to heat and humidity, and excellent mechanical strength, making it suitable for high-frequency applications such as communication systems, radar systems, and other fields where fast signal speeds are required.

The FR4 material has poor dielectric properties and low breakdown voltage compared with Megtron 6. Therefore, when using FR4 for high-speed applications, it must be reinforced with glass fibers or other materials to improve its performance.

Bendability

The FR4 board bends easily without cracking or breaking when used in low voltage circuits or aircraft wiring harnesses. However, if it is turned repeatedly in the same place over time, the heat generated by the bending process will lead to cracks on both sides of the board near the bend point. This causes short-circuiting between adjacent traces on the surface layer and makes it difficult to detect problems through visual inspection alone.

Megtron 6 has much better bendability than FR4 due to its larger copper foil area and thinner board thickness. This makes it easier to route signals around obstacles such as connectors or other components without splitting them into multiple layers.

Soldering

Megtron 6 uses the same soldering process as FR4 boards. The solder mask is very thin, so it is possible to solder without any problem.

FR4 PCBs are made of copper-clad laminate with a thin layer of copper on each side. This makes soldering a little bit tricky as the copper cladding is quite resistant to heat, and you will need to preheat your iron before starting to solder; otherwise, you risk damaging your components.

Key Takeaway

In the end, this is one of those issues where it will not likely be a clear answer for everyone. Both material types are great for PCBs, and it will come down to personal preferences for most people. However, one thing is sure: both products are excellent, and which one you pick will likely just come down to a matter of personal preference. Just be sure to review the design guidelines and keep this ranking handy when you need a quick comparison of similar suppliers.

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