Specialty phenolic paper laminate for IC substrate, micro-hole, routing and precision PCB drilling.
Direct answer: YUESHAN Phenolic PHE is a specialty phenolic PCB backup board used beneath the PCB drilling stack where high hardness, flatness and controlled drill-exit support are required. Published specifications include 90±5 HD hardness, 1.50 mm thickness, flatness ≤0.10 mm and exit-burr control ≤0.05 mm under qualified drilling conditions. It is positioned for selected IC substrate, micro-hole, precision drilling and routing applications.
Key Takeaways
- Commercial product intent: this page covers YUESHAN Phenolic PHE supply, specifications, applications, qualification, samples and ordering.
- Specialty grade: Phenolic PHE is available for applications that genuinely benefit from a hard phenolic support layer; for many standard PCB lines, UV Melamine 950 remains YUESHAN's default backup-board recommendation.
- Material reference: for phenolic resin, kraft paper, NEMA / IEC laminate families and mechanical-property context, use the Phenolic Paper Laminate Material Profile.
For buyers comparing a phenolic backup board supplier, the useful procurement entities are not only material name. Confirm construction, hardness, thickness, flatness, sheet size, moisture behavior, drill-exit result and the PCB application being qualified.
| Product | Phenolic PHE PCB Backup Board |
|---|---|
| Material | Phenolic paper laminate / phenolic resin laminate |
| Grade | PHE |
| Hardness | 90±5 HD |
| Thickness | 1.50 mm |
| Flatness | ≤0.10 mm |
| Published exit-burr control | ≤0.05 mm under qualified drilling conditions |
| Published decomposition temperature | >220°C |
| Standard sheet size | 940 × 1245 mm |
| Panel-size option | 520 × 620 mm |
| Documents | Backup Board TDS · Backup Board SDS |
Qualification note: exit burr, drill wear and hole quality are process outputs, not material constants. Confirm them using your actual drill diameter, spindle speed, feed, hit count, panel construction and stack height.
A PCB backup board sits below the bottom panel of the drilling stack. As the drill exits the PCB, the backup material provides a controlled landing surface instead of allowing the cutting edge to break into free air. In practice, the backup layer influences exit burr, copper pull, drill-bit breakage risk, hole-wall quality, stack stability and repeatability.
Phenolic paper laminate is a rigid thermoset material made from paper reinforcement and phenolic resin. Industrial phenolic-laminate standards and industry pages commonly describe this family using terms such as phenolic paper laminate, phenolic resin backup board, Bakelite board, kraft-paper phenolic sheet and PCB drilling back-up board. These are useful LSI/semantic terms, but YUESHAN PHE should be qualified by its own product TDS rather than assumed equivalent to a generic NEMA grade.
High-hardness support for selected IC-substrate and precision drilling stacks where exit support is critical.
See HDI & IC Substrate Solution →Rigid phenolic laminate can be useful where dimensional stability and repeated machining support are required.
Compare Backup Board Grades →Evaluate for high-precision programs where lot consistency, flatness and controlled exit quality matter.
See Defense & Aerospace →Suitable for qualification where consistent support and traceable process control are required.
See Medical & Diagnostic →Phenolic should not be positioned as automatically “better” for every PCB. The correct grade depends on the drilling target and total cost per good panel.
| Factor | Phenolic PHE | UV Melamine 950 | HDF 880 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Specialty high-hardness grade | YUESHAN default performance grade | Cost-focused standard grade |
| Published hardness | 90±5 HD | See current Backup Board TDS | See current Backup Board TDS |
| Typical role | Selected IC / precision / routing | HDI / multilayer / tighter-tolerance drilling | Standard multilayer / cost-first production |
| Material system | Phenolic paper laminate | UV-sealed melamine backup material | High-density fibreboard |
| Selection priority | When hard rigid support is specifically justified | Default recommendation for many demanding lines | Economical general-purpose choice |
For the complete family comparison, see PCB Backup Boards: HDF, Melamine & Phenolic or use the PCB Backup Board Selector.
Phenolic PHE is the bottom support layer. Pair the backup material with the entry-side material according to hole size and thermal demand:
For conventional mechanical drilling where stable drill entry and top-side burr control are the main priorities.
PCB Aluminum Entry Sheets →Evaluate for smaller holes and higher thermal/friction load where extra lubrication may improve process margin.
Lubricant Aluminum Entry Sheets →Industrial phenolic paper laminates are commonly produced from kraft/cellulose paper impregnated with phenolic resin. Standardized industrial laminate families include NEMA X/XP/XX/XXP/XXX/XXXP and IEC 60893 phenolic-resin rigid laminates. These standards are useful for material context, but they should not be treated as a claim that YUESHAN PHE is certified to a particular NEMA or IEC grade unless the current TDS explicitly states that equivalence.
The IEC 60893 series covers rigid laminated sheets based on thermosetting resins, including phenolic resin with paper reinforcement, and explicitly notes that application selection should be based on actual performance requirements rather than standard designation alone.
Need a PHE Sample, TDS or Side-by-Side Qualification?
Send drill diameter, stack height, PCB type, panel size and your current backup-board grade. Contact Mr. Lucky Xu for a Phenolic PHE sample, technical documents and grade comparison. WhatsApp: +86 13433290964 · henan_xu@hotmail.com
A phenolic PCB backup board is a rigid phenolic paper laminate placed beneath the PCB stack during mechanical drilling. It supports the drill as it exits the bottom panel and is selected for applications requiring high hardness, flatness and controlled exit support.
Phenolic PHE is a specialty backup grade for selected IC substrate, micro-hole and precision PCB drilling, as well as routing or worktable applications where a hard, dimensionally stable support layer is required.
Published YUESHAN specifications include 90±5 HD hardness, 1.50 mm thickness, flatness ≤0.10 mm and exit-burr control ≤0.05 mm under qualified drilling conditions.
For many standard and HDI drilling lines YUESHAN recommends UV Melamine 950 as the default cost-performance grade. Phenolic PHE is a specialty option for selected IC substrate, precision drilling and routing applications. Test both under the same drilling conditions when the choice is unclear.
Yes. Send your hole diameter, stack, panel size and current backup material so the sample is relevant to your qualification rather than just a generic sheet.
Phenolic resin, kraft paper, NEMA/IEC families, water absorption and mechanical-property context.
Read the Phenolic Material Profile →Compare HDF, UV Melamine, Melamine Laminate and Phenolic backup grades.
Compare PCB Backup Board Grades →Match backup-board grade to layer count, drill size, stack and exit-quality target.
Read the Backup Board Selection Guide →Use your drilling conditions to compare suitable YUESHAN backup materials.
Use the PCB Backup Board Selector →Entry/backup material selection for small-hole and substrate drilling.
See HDI & IC Substrate Solution →Understand where HDF, melamine and phenolic differ in process behavior.
Read Backup Board Comparison →External references are provided for standards, terminology and material context only. They do not imply certification or endorsement of YUESHAN PHE.