Communication

Engineering considerations

High-frequency materials and loss

Insertion loss in an RF chain is dominated by the dielectric. Rogers 4350B/4003C/3003, Arlon 85N and Taconic RF-35 are available, including hybrid constructions with FR-4.

High-speed digital and layer count

Backplane and switching products run high layer counts with strict length matching. Standard volume production reaches 40 layers; low-loss options include Isola FR408HR/I-Speed and Panasonic Megtron 6/7.

Applicable board types

The board types below are the ones that come up most often in communication applications. Each link goes to that board type's capability page with material, layer-count and process ranges. Combined constructions across board types, such as hybrid lamination or embedded copper, are confirmed by engineering review.

• Multi-Layer PCB
• High Frequency PCB
• Impedance Control PCB
• HDI PCB

Production examples

The examples below are desensitized: no customer information, exact outline dimensions or full stack-up notation.

• Analogue-to-digital conversion control board

  18L · FR-4 VT47 · 2.46 mm · ENIG 2µin · IPC-6012 Class 3 · Large format (long edge above roughly 250 mm)

  • 18-layer high-layer-count build accepted to IPC-6012 Class 3, with hole-wall copper and layer-to-layer registration controlled to Class 3 requirements.
  • Through-hole resin plugging followed by electroplated fill, giving a flat pad surface for downstream assembly.
  • Includes gold fingers plated to 0.25 µm, with 0.1 mm minimum trace and space — within the standard process window.

• RF / microwave module

  4L · Isola 370HR + Rogers RO4003C · 0.762 mm ±0.076 mm · ENIG · Compact (long edge within roughly 100 mm)

  • Hybrid lamination of 370HR with RO4003C: the two materials differ in thermal expansion and resin flow, so stack-up symmetry and press parameters are the main engineering challenge on this type of board.
  • Via-in-pad with resin plugging, avoiding solder wicking and voiding on the pad.
  • An embedded copper coin provides the thermal path for a local high-power device, with board thickness held to ±0.076 mm.

• Industrial control main board

  6L · FR-4 TG170 · 1.6 mm ±10% · ENIG 2µin · Mid-size (long edge roughly 100–250 mm)

  • Six-layer TG170 with 0.3 mm minimum BGA pitch, combining via-in-pad and serpentine length matching, which places tight demands on solder-mask registration and copper thickness uniformity.
  • Black solder mask with yellow legend; black mask is more sensitive to exposure and development parameters, so fine-line areas need separately tuned settings.

Production experience

Related end-product categories already in volume production include Documented end-product categories in communication include smart-home gateways and radar.. Specific project details are covered by non-disclosure agreements and are not published.

Applicable certifications

• ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System — 120622-2012-AQ-RGC-RvA
• ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System — 104573-2011-AE-RGC-RvA
• RoHS Restricted Substances Test Report — WTH23H12270526C
• REACH SVHC Test Report — WTH24H10245077C
• UL Recognized Component (USA) — Wiring, Printed — E326765 (ZPMV2)
• UL Recognized Component (Canada) — Wiring, Printed — E326765 (ZPMV8)

Frequently asked questions

How long does a communication project take from enquiry to prototype?

Quotations are returned within 30 minutes as a rule. Expedited prototype lead times run by layer count: double-sided 24 hours, 4-layer 48 hours, 6–8 layer 72 hours, 10–12 layer 96 hours; single-stage HDI at 6 layers is 48 hours. Standard lead times and production scheduling are confirmed separately against order volume.

Which inspection and material documents can you supply?

As standard we supply a certificate of conformance, material certifications with lot records, and electrical test records; impedance test reports and microsection analysis are available on request. Acceptance can be run to IPC-6012 Class II or Class III, which must be stated on the order.