APPLICATIONS OF G10-FR4
Introduction
Various materials have different properties which makes them suitable for different applications. Some materials are better than others and some are not. However, the best engineering and manufacturing designs need the best material which keeps the design applications fully intact. It is also important that the selected material also keeps the overall costs of the project to minimum. In this article, we shall discuss the best material which is used in industries for various engineering purposes. It is called G10-FR4. G10-FR4 is a composite material which is made up of glass fabric and electrical grade epoxy resin. This material is manufactured by pairing glass fabric with epoxy resin under high pressure and heat. This high pressure and heat gives the material strong mechanical properties like strength, stiffness, creep resistance and many more. It also gives it strong electrical properties. The combination of strong mechanical and powerful electrical properties gives this material a versatile and universal nature. This versatility helps engineers to make numerous amounts of things using this material.
History
G10-FR4 was first introduced in 1950s. It was originally termed as “G10”, but today with an addition of flaming retardant, it is known as G10-FR4. The term G10 means that it is a glass reinforced material whereas FR4 means Fire Retardant Grade 4. This means it has flame resistance properties. G10-FR4 is one of the most widely used laminate materials in engineering. Its success is due to its versatile properties and fire resisting properties. This makes its fit to use in various machines too where friction occurs. The primary use of G10-FR4 is in printed circuitry.
Fabrication
The fabrication process of G10-FR4 is done through standard machining processes. The most important thing to consider in fabricating these materials is to keep their working tools sharp. Numerous layers of fiber glass are stacked onto each other. Then they are impregnated with epoxy resin by exposing them to high pressure and high heat levels. This fabrication process takes time to complete. It can take from several hours to several days depending upon the size of material.
Properties
Now we shall discuss the most important aspect of G10-FR4 laminate material. The properties of G10-FR4 make it one of the most versatile and universal materials in the world. Its properties give it an identity of itself and make it unique.
The mechanical and electrical properties of G10-FR4 are virtually similar. They both are strong respectively. This key aspect of G10-FR4 makes its readily available to use in almost all the sectors of manufacturing. One of its most obvious properties is its fire resistance. The ability to resist fire makes any material extremely attractive to use in manufacturing especially electronics. The fire resistant nature of G10-FR4 makes it favorable to use in conditions which are more exposed to high temperatures. Another property related to fire resistance is its ability to resist itself from melting. This is due to its thermosetting nature. The inflammable nature of G10-FR4 makes it suitable to work under the operating temperature of 140 degrees Celsius. G10-FR4 comes in different forms. It comes in sheets, rods and tube forms. However, depending upon the tooling, they can also have different forms.
Furthermore, these materials have high di-electric strength and high tensile strength. This makes them both mechanically and electrically durable and strong. It has both moisture resistance and chemical resistance. This makes them suitable and applicable in environments where exposure to moisture or acids are very normal. It is dimensionally stable and also strong and stiff. This makes it easy to use in items which have complex geometries. G10-FR4 are commonly used in manufacturing of printed circuit boards but they are also designed differently for various other tools like handles, knives etcetera.
Applications
G10-FR4 have tremendous amounts of applications in various departments of manufacturing. Its wider applications make it extremely proficient to use. It is specially an entity of interest to mechanical and electrical engineers. It covers a broad range of the following applications:
- Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs)
- Electromechanical devices
- Rocket cases
- Medical diagnoses
- Electrical equipment
- High strength composite parts
- Insulators
- Structural components
It has many other applications too. This nature of G10-FR4 makes it universal to use.
Conclusion
To sum up our article, G10-FR4 has proved itself to be a highly efficient and proficient material in the industry. Its strong mechanical and electrical properties make it profoundly versatile. Its variable shapes have made it a go-to material to use in a broad spectrum of things. Its durability and strength as well as its thermal and chemical resistance make it perfect for mechanical engineering. Its di-electric resistance and insulating nature makes it perfect for electrical engineering. Finally, its strong hold in both electrical and mechanical world gives it the license to further the development in electronics world too. G10-FR4 is the perfect material for manufacturing from an engineer’s view.
