Trace Width and Current Capacity
Width, copper weight, temperature rise and layering set how much current a trace safely carries. Rules of thumb under-estimate; calculate.
IPC-2152
The current standard replaces the older 2221 charts with internal-plane awareness.
Temperature rise
Decide an allowable rise, then solve for width.
External vs internal
Inner traces run hotter for the same width; derate accordingly.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Calculate per IPC-2152.
- Start from allowed temperature rise.
- Derate inner-layer traces.
