Resource-saving electronics Circuit board made of cost-effective aluminum developed

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The new development of the "ALUSolder" project consortium is an important step in terms of saving valuable and scarce copper, and it is also lightweight.

As part of the innovation network "Hidronik: Hybrid systems with printed electronics", which is coordinated by ENERGIEregion Nürnberg e.V., Plasma Innovations GmbH is working together with the companies Powerlyze GmbH and PCB-Systems GmbH as well as the Nuremberg University of Technology on the "ALUSolder" project. The goal is the development of resource-conserving electronics based on a newly developed aluminum circuit board.

The project work is funded by the Central Innovation Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ZIM) and IraSME – International research activities by small and medium-sized enterprises.

The use of aluminum in the circuit board instead of copper allows for the switch to more cost-effective and readily available materials. This reduces the CO2 footprint in manufacturing and conserves valuable raw material resources. It also results in weight savings. In the case of the also developed variant IMS (Insulated Metal Substrate) boards, there are further advantages in terms of recycling.

Excellent market prospects

In light of the rising awareness of sustainability and resource conservation among consumers and businesses, demand for corresponding electronics is expected to increase significantly. The resulting weight savings from the new circuit board are an additional advantage - especially when considering the requirements for mobile applications.

In addition to using a climate-friendly technology, the user has new opportunities for fully automated, flexible production of circuit boards at their own site, as well as significant savings in logistics and production.

The innovations developed in the "ALUSolder" project position the participating project partners as pioneers in the industry. Their lightweight electronic modules and the use of aluminum circuit boards make them cost-effective, sustainable, and resource-saving products.

Technical summary of the "ALUSolder" project

The aim of the project is to develop a surface and soldering technology based on surface mount technology (SMT) for the manufacture of flexible electronics using aluminum as the conductor track material to substitute copper circuit boards. The soldering of SMT components on flexible aluminum conductor structures (ALUSolder) based on the combination of surface finishing, solder paste, process control and plant technology does not yet exist on the market. In combination, this results in a new process for surface mount technology on aluminum circuit boards for electronics manufacturing. Corresponding long-term testing methods and design guidelines for the layout on these novel substrates are being developed parallel to the project. (mr)