L.C.O vs YUESHAN Coated Lubricant Aluminum: A Material Comparison

Coated lubricant aluminum is a well-established category of entry board for PCB drilling. Many PCB engineers know the leading thermoset film and base-aluminum specs by heart. This article compares YUESHAN's coated lubricant aluminum to the established Western benchmark across all the dimensions that matter in production: coating chemistry, base material, CPK, flatness, bit life improvement and cost per good hole.

Why this comparison exists

For HDI, BGA and IC-substrate drilling, a coated lubricant entry board is the difference between acceptable and exceptional via quality. The coating provides in-process lubrication that reduces friction, lowers peak bit temperature, and extends bit life by 30–50% compared to plain aluminum entry.

L.C.O established the product category and remains the reference standard. YUESHAN entered this segment in 2011 with a thermoset-coated product designed to meet or exceed L.C.O's published specifications. Today, YUESHAN coated lubricant aluminum is used alongside L.C.O on production lines in Japan, Korea, India and Europe — and in blind comparisons, engineers frequently cannot distinguish the two products by hole quality alone.

Comparison table

Attribute	leading supplier (benchmark)	YUESHAN Coated Lubricant Aluminum
Brand standing	Long-established Japanese brand	Independent supplier since 2011
Coating type	Thermoset resin (proprietary)	Thermoset resin, 220°C melt point
Coating uniformity CPK	≥4.0 (published claim)	≥4.3 (verified per lot)
Base aluminum alloy	1100 H18 (or equivalent)	1100 H18
Base thickness options	0.08–0.15 mm	0.08–0.15 mm
Flatness	≤0.10 mm class	≤0.10 mm
Max spindle speed	250+ krpm	250+ krpm
Bit life improvement vs plain Al	30–50%	30–50% (field-verified)
Certification	ISO, REACH, RoHS	ISO 9001:2015, SGS, REACH, RoHS, UL
Sample lead time	Longer import cycle	5–7 days worldwide
MOQ	Higher typical MOQ	From 100 sheets
Cost per good hole	Premium benchmark	Competitive (typically 15–22% lower)
Lot traceability	Lot-level	Lot-level with full QC data
Engineering support	Via distributor	Direct factory + free process advice

Coating chemistry: thermoset vs thermoset

Both L.C.O and YUESHAN use thermoset resin coatings. The similarity is intentional — the thermoset chemistry provides several properties that are essential for microvia drilling:

• Melt-and-lubricate behaviour: The coating remains solid at room temperature and melts at approximately 220°C during drilling. The molten film acts as a boundary lubricant between the bit and the aluminum.
• No cold flow: Unlike thermoplastic coatings, thermoset does not deform under storage pressure. Sheets remain flat and consistent through their shelf life.
• Clean hole wall: The coating film stays on the entry board surface; it does not transfer to the hole wall or interfere with subsequent plating.

The key difference is in coating uniformity. YUESHAN's CPK ≥4.3 means the coating thickness varies by less than ±5% across the sheet and across production lots. This uniformity translates directly into consistent lubrication — every hole on the panel sees the same coating thickness, so every hole sees the same friction reduction.

Base material: 1100 H18 aluminum

Both products use 1100-grade aluminum (99.0% min. purity) in the H18 full-hard temper. This is the standard material for entry boards globally, and both suppliers hold comparable tolerances on thickness and flatness.

The practical difference is availability and lead time. YUESHAN ships samples within 5–7 days worldwide from stock, with production MOQs starting at 100 sheets. This flexibility matters for mid-size PCB fabricators that do not have the volume or warehouse space to commit to large container orders.

Field results: what customers report

We track production data from customers who have trialled YUESHAN coated lubricant aluminum alongside their incumbent L.C.O supply. The following are anonymised results from three recent evaluations:

Customer	Application	Hole size	Result vs L.C.O
Top Japanese PCB fabricator	HDI smartphone motherboard	Ø0.10 mm	Equal burr quality, +8% bit life
Leading Indian HDI manufacturer	IC substrate	Ø0.08 mm	Equal hole quality, cost reduced ~20%
European automotive PCB supplier	HDI ADAS board	Ø0.15 mm	Equal burr and location, consistent across lots

These results are representative but not guaranteed per customer — the specific stack, drilling machine and parameters all influence outcomes. We recommend a side-by-side trial on your own line rather than relying on third-party data alone.

When to choose YUESHAN over L.C.O (and vice versa)

Choose YUESHAN when:

• You need lower MOQ and faster lead time for sampling and production.
• You want factory-direct engineering support for process optimisation.
• Your cost target requires a 15–22% reduction in entry board spend without compromising hole quality.
• You need lot-level QC data and full certification documentation (ISO, REACH, RoHS, UL).

Choose L.C.O when:

• Your customer contract specifically names L.C.O as an approved supplier and requalification is not practical.
• You have an established relationship and volume pricing that is already competitive.
• Your engineering team is not available to run a side-by-side qualification trial.

How to run your own comparison

The only reliable way to decide is to test both products on your line with your panels, your machine and your parameters. Here is the protocol we recommend:

1. Select a representative panel — ideally a high-volume product with HDI or microvia content.
2. Split the panel — use L.C.O on one half and YUESHAN on the other half, with the same backup board, same program and same drill bits.
3. Measure:
   • Entry and exit burr height (30 holes per side, per product)
   • Hole location accuracy (X/Y deviation per panel quadrant)
   • Bit wear (hits before regrind or replacement)
4. Compare the data — not the brand labels. If the results are equivalent, the cost saving decides.

Request a free sample of YUESHAN coated lubricant aluminum to run this comparison on your line. We ship samples within 5–7 days with full TDS/MSDS documentation.

Full product specifications are available on the Lubricant Aluminum Entry Board page. For the broader entry board selection guide, see How to Choose the Right Aluminum Entry Board for PCB Drilling.

L.C.O is a trademark of Linton Crystal Opto-electronics and Applications, Ltd. YUESHAN is not affiliated with or endorsed by L.C.O. The comparison in this article reflects published industry specifications and YUESHAN's own test data — verify on your line with a free sample.

Related Resources