6-layer PCB means the printed circuit boards with six conductive layers. All the six conductive layers are connected by plated holes to achieve the electronic function.
As the mother of electronic products, with the development of society, electronic products are also changing with each passing day. Multilayer boards such as 6-layer printed circuit boards are increasingly popular and frequently used in commercial, industrial, and high-end military and aviation industries. The 6-layer printed circuit board has always been the main business of Viasion, and 6-layer printed circuit boards are more widely used in portable communication devices and other household electronic devices in our lives, which are closely related to us.
Like the literal translation of its name, the six-layer PCB comprises six layers.
They are the internal layer, the external layer, and the inner plane. There are two internal and two external layers, and the two internal planes are the Power plane layer and Ground layer, respectively. The layered design, such as a 6-layer board, can effectively improve EMI to avoid mutual influence and interference between high and low signals.
According to Viasion’s more than 16 years of production experience, most of the six-layer printed circuit boards we encounter are usually the top layer – ground plane layer – routing layer – routing layer – power layer – bottom layer. This is a typical six-layer board layer, but it does not apply to all. It will be adjusted and changed according to customer needs and product characteristics. Please contact us freely when you are trying to find a trustworthy 6 layer PCB manufacturer.
As the foreword said, social science and technology have never stopped moving forward. At present, electronic products around us are developing rapidly. As one of the essential parts of electronic products, printed circuit boards are becoming increasingly demanding, and production and design are becoming more and more complex.
They are the internal layer, the external layer, and the inner plane. There are two internal and two external layers, and the two internal planes are the Power plane layer and Ground layer, respectively. The layered design, such as a 6-layer board, can effectively improve EMI to avoid mutual influence and interference between high and low signals.
In recent years, the demands of Viasion’s partners on the 6-layer PCB are also been increasing and extensive. Compared with the original single-sided printed circuit board and the double-sided printed circuit board extended behind, the six-layer printed circuit board in the multilayer board has irreplaceable advantages. The advantages and characteristics of the six-layer printed circuit board are described in detail below.
More layers also allow more space for reducing the area of the printed circuit board. Therefore, one of the characteristics of the six-layer circuit board is that it can reduce the area of the final product while supporting more complex functionality. This is also one of the crucial reasons why the six-layer printed circuit board is being used more and more widely. Presently, the requirements for the portability of electronic products are getting higher and higher, and its characteristics perfectly meet the current market demand.
With the increase in product complexity, the DC, AC, rectification current, various frequencies, and powers of semiconductors are getting higher and higher, including higher quality IC, higher voltage, ADC conversion rate, resolution, etc. The electrical performance requirements of components for printed circuit boards are getting higher and higher. The more stable electrical performance of six-layer printed circuit boards also makes the work between components more stable, which is a significant advantage over single-sided and double-layer printed circuit boards.
Compared with single-sided and double-layer printed circuit boards, six-layer printed circuit boards have more insulation layers. More insulation layers further improve the stability of PCBs, which can better avoid short circuits in PCBs, meaning that the life and durability of PCBs and products are also improved.
Compared with the conventional single-sided printed circuit board and double-sided printed circuit board, the more complex circuit of the six-layer printed circuit board makes the connection between components simpler and more convenient, which can reduce the use of connectors between components and further reduce the overall weight of the PCBA finished product. Therefore, it is not only smaller but also lighter in weight, which is favoured by portable electronic devices.
Different from single-sided PCB and double-layer PCB, multilayer PCB, involving six-layer PCB, use different substrates from the former two simple PCBs, usually choosing thin inner core Copper Clad Laminate which is commonly called CCL, including Prepreg.
Usually, CCL is also distinguished, and it is divided into two different types according to the mechanical rigidity of the material: rigid CCL and flexible CCL, also namely called FCCL.
In addition to the mechanical rigidity of CCL, CCL will also be divided into more types according to the main resin used. According to Viasion’s many years of production experience, the following are often used： phenolic resin, epoxy resin (EP), polyimide resin (PI), polyester resin (PE”r), polyphenylene ether resin (PPE), bismaleimide triazine resin (BT), etc.
First, the schematic diagram is drawn according to the characteristics and requirements of the product. It should be noted that the six-layer printed circuit boards have analog ground and digital ground, respectively. It can be decided whether to separate or combine them according to the EMI intensity of the final product. In addition, after completing the schematic design, you need to carefully check whether there are any errors, especially the packaging problem.
First, create a PCB file as the design basis, and then import the schematic diagram we just drew into the created PCB file.
Then we started the design of the critical stack up. First, we selected Add layer to add the signal layer. The Add plane adds the internal power layer and the internal ground layer.
As for the rest of the signal layer, the top and bottom layers, are used to lay signal lines. Here, the signal line means copper. In addition, where there is no copper, it is clear that it belongs to the insulation layer.
Back to the internal power layer and the internal ground layer, a layer of copper film is generated. The line is used to segment the internal power, which means the corroded copper.
According to the distribution map, the dark red is the corroded copper film, and the other part is the aforementioned copper film. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the power and ground layers are well-fitted and separated with prepreg. This can minimize electromagnetic interference.
In the layout, the most important thing is to divide the positions of various characteristic components to ensure compatibility and reduce mutual interference between components to the maximum extent. The first is a digital signal. The disadvantage is that the interference intensity is powerful, but its anti-interference ability is also powerful. Compared with a digital signal, an analog signal has less signal interference, so it is easy to interfere with the digital signal. Therefore, it is necessary to arrange their layout reasonably to prevent the analog signal from being interfered with by a strong signal of digital signal.
In addition to digital signals and analog signals, it should also be noted that the working voltages of different components are quite different. Therefore, we need to maximize the distance between high-voltage components and low-voltage components in the layout so that they can avoid mutual interference.
There are also some IC decoupling capacitors. We should try to make them close to the Pin, which can improve the stability of IC operation and avoid interference. In terms of pins, try to make pins of the same network close to each other. Based on the above points, the rest is to improve the aesthetics of the PCBA component division through a reasonable layout, which is also very important.
According to Viasion’s production experience, the usual stack-up design involves 6-layers of PCB, three layers of power layer, GND as the second and fifth layers, and the third and fourth intermediate layers as the power and signal layers. We can adequately coat copper on the Power layer. If there are fewer lines in the middle signal layer, this can improve the stability and compatibility of the overall line and avoid excessive interference.
As mentioned earlier, there are two layers of ground layers on the six-layer PCB, AGND, and DGND, located on the second and fourth layers separately.
Therefore, the ground layer is relatively simple. According to Viasion’s many years of PCB experience, we usually pass the pins of the top layer and ground layer components through the vias through wires and connect them to opposite places.
Usually, we also reduce the number of blind and buried holes and use a pad to replace through holes. In addition, we will try to reduce the use of a pad in the operation process because if we use a pad, it will enhance interference and affect compatibility and stability.
First, the voltage value of the six-layer printed circuit board is not only a fixed value when it is running. So we usually split the power layer. According to Viasion’s experience, the specific operations are as follows.
First, set a voltage to highlight during operation, then use the line to switch to the internal power layer, and use the software to draw a figure. The figure drawn here must be closed. Then, the closed figure we just drew is the network area of the voltage.
Later, we will connect the pins of the top layer and the ground layer to the internal power layer and note that the connection path also needs to go through the pad.
In the last step, we use the software to draw the next power grid, during which the line is the dividing line between the first voltage network area and the new voltage network area, that is, the place to be corroded.
In addition, we should pay attention to the internal power layer. First, we need to widen the segmentation area with significant voltage differences as much as possible to prevent interference and mutual influence and improve stability.
Secondly, Viasion usually corrodes the unwanted copper film by preventing it from the plane during fabrication.
In addition, remember not to place the pad on the previously mentioned split line. Otherwise, it will significantly affect the contact with the internal power layer.
After completing the previous Ground layer and Power layer work, the next step is wiring.
There are also many things to pay attention to when wiring, especially unique high-speed signal lines. According to Viasion’s experience in multi-layer printed circuit board production, it is usually arranged in the internal signal layer or on its ground layer. For example, if analog signals are arranged on the top layer, the vision is usually set to AGND on the second layer.
In addition, when laying out the circuit, you can adjust the components to facilitate wiring and improve the rationality of wiring, so you can prioritise the characteristics of subsequent wiring when laying out components and plan and adjust in advance.
The circuit layout of the top layer and ground layer is almost the same as that of the conventional double-layer circuit board.
Next, regarding the internal signal layer, the line layout of Vision usually follows a specific idea: the conductor pad international power layer. For DDR, FPC, and other flat cables, optimising their layout and routing rationality is necessary to make the whole line more stable and orderly. For the wiring specification, we usually use a signal line of about 4mil, and the power line needs to bear more voltage and current. Therefore, to ensure stability, Viasion will choose a safer width, usually around 15mil, the get reliable 6 layer PCB manufacturing.
DAccording to Viasion's cooperation experience on lines, the following lists some key points of ground wiring that should be paid attention to.
First of all, we should pay attention to essential signals. High-frequency signals will produce more significant interference. Therefore, we should coordinate the components’ distribution to make reasonable wiring arrangements. Usually, we use differential distribution lines to avoid more significant interference.
Concerning Ground and Power in BGA, we should plan the cabling and lead out the cables in advance because these two aspects of BGA often arrange too much cabling, which leads to very compact and dense lines, resulting in GND and POWER not connected in the end.
After the second article, when we talk about the packaging of BGA components, we should first arrange the cables, then lead out the pins on the outside, and then conduct the circuit layout. In this way, it is easy to encounter flat pins that are difficult for the internal layer to arrange. In this case, Viasion usually guides them to other layers.
For the circuit connection and layout of the IC, the number of vias usually arranged cannot exceed two.
There is a standard and typical 6-layer PCB stack-up (signal-ground-signal-signal-power-signal). The stack up can be varied for specific boards but generally needs to meet the following requirements.
There is a reasonable arrangement for a 6-layer PCB stack-up (signal-ground-signal-power-ground-signal) to get a proper 6 layer PCB manufacturing.
This stack-up scheme results in better signal integrity. The signal layer is adjacent to the ground layer, and the power and ground layers are paired. The impedance of each alignment layer can be well controlled, and both ground layers can absorb magnetic lines well. In addition, with the power and ground layers intact, a good reflow path can be provided for each signal layer.
The above is Viasion’s more than ten years of design experience with six-layer circuit boards. With the continuous progress of society, electronic products have never stopped developing. Multilayer boards, including 6-layer circuit boards, will be more and more widely and mainstream in the future. Viasion has rich experience in this field but also keeps learning and accepting new things.
We look forward to establishing a good and long-term cooperative relationship with you. Please contact us freely for a 6-layer PCB quote.
After cooperating with our company and sending files and the appropriate information, we will manufacture high-quality 6-layer PCBs according to your requirements. Our simple wish to offer you services won’t help you to make your 6-layer PCBs a reality. Instead, practical cooperation will help. Our maximum capacity of manufacturing high-quality 6-layer and sincere services will not make your 6-layer PCBs a dream but a reality. If you have any doubt in the design, you mean order 6 layer PCB prototype to test the functions first.
As a 4 layer PCB manufacturer, Viasion has 16 years of manufacturing experience. Viasion has also worked hard on six-layer and multi-layer printed circuit boards for decades, with rich experience and achievements. For the following reasons, Viasion as your 6-layer PCB supplier is a good try.
Our company has the leading capability of manufacturing printed circuit boards. The top-quality raw materials used include copper laminate, copper foil, chemical flux, tin, copper, gold, solder mask, and silkscreen, which ensure the quality of the products well. In addition, we will try our best to meet the customer's requirements, respond quickly to customers’ questions, and make customers feel comfortable.
All engineers in Viasion have rich experience in PCB manufacturing; technicians are skilled in the production process operation and familiar with the critical control points in 6 layer PCB fabrication.
The production workshop in Viasion is equipped with a series of automatic production and testing equipment such as advanced CNC drills, an automatic plating line, an exposure machine, an AOI inspection machine, high-speed flying probe testing machine, etc, which is helpful to get high quality 6-layer PCB manufactured.
Viasion Technology is your trusted partner & one-stop shop for PCB fabrication, components sourcing, PCB assembly and electronic manufacturing. With more than 16 years of experience, we have been supplying high-quality PCBs with competitive pricing for 1000+ customers worldwide. Our company is ISO9001:2015 Certified & UL Listed, and all our products are 100% E-tested and inspected by AOI & X-RAY to meet the highest industry standards. So please get an instant quote from our sales team now, and we will take care of the rest.
Yes, it has many advantages, and it is needed in many different types of electronic products.
1) Small size: Due to the multi-layer design, 6-layer printed circuit boards are smaller than others, which is particularly beneficial for microdevices.
2) Quality-driven design:The 6-layer PCB stack design requires a lot of planning. This helps to reduce errors in detail, thus ensuring a high-quality construction.
3) Lightweight construction:Compact PCBs are made possible by using lightweight components, which helps reduce the overall weight of the PCB. Unlike single-sided or double-sided PCBs, there is no need to use multiple connectors to interconnect components on 6 layer PWB.
4) Improved durability:6 layer PCBs use multiple insulation layers between circuits, and these layers are bonded by protective materials and different prepreg adhesives, which helps to improve the durability of 6 layer PCBs.
5) Excellent electrical performance:6-layer circuit boards have excellent electrical performance to ensure high speed and high capacity in compact designs.
Every coin has two sides. Besides advantages, there are some drawbacks to 6-layer PCBs, such as high cost, long manufacturing time, complex manufacturing process, lower yield rate than 2-layer PCB, and serious difficulty in reworking.
The main industry standards for 6-layer PCBs are listed below. Incidentally, Viasion is a leading PCB manufacturer with the following certifications.
1) IPC-A-600 for PCB manufacturing
2) IPC-A-610 for PCB assembly
3) ISO 9001 for quality management
4) ISO 14001 for environmental protection management
5) ISO 13485 for quality management of 6-layer medical PCBs
6) RoHS & REACH
7) UL 94V-0 flammability rating
The cost of the 6-layer PCB is determined by many factors. Some of these factors are as follows.
1) The base material is used
2) The size, shape, and thickness of the 6-layer PCB
3) The method of surface finish
4) The weight of copper
5) The number and size of drilling holes
6) The density of the circuit
7）The layup structure
8) The technology is used
6-layer PCBs can be classified by the rigidity and the main resin of the CCL. The main classifications are as follows.
1) Rigid FR4 CCL
2) Flexible CCL
3) Ceramic
4) FTFE
5) polyimide (PI)
6) polyester (PET)
7) polyphenylene ether resin (PPE)
8) bismaleimide triazine resin (BT)
1) As the first step in a stack-up design, it is important to analyze and address the number of ground, power, and signal layers that the 6-layer PCB may need.
2) The ground layers are an important part of any stack-up because they provide better shielding for 6-layer PCBs.
3) For dense boards with a small size: If you plan the routing of a dense board with a small size, you can arrange four signal layers, one ground layer, and one power layer.
4) PCB material should be carefully chosen to meet the function. Especially for the PCBs with controlled impedance.
5) In the PCB production process, special care should be taken in 6-layer PCB lamination. The other production processes are the same as 2-layer or 4-layer PCBs.
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