Polycarbonate (PC) Carrier Tape

Polycarbonate is the material you specify when the pocket has a job to do beyond holding a component in place. It combines impact strength, dimensional stability and optical clarity, which makes it the default for deep cavities, heavier parts and applications where the component has to be inspected through the tape.

Why PC is used

Impact strength. PC absorbs shock that would crack a PS pocket, which matters for relays, connectors, larger inductors and modules with protruding features. Deep cavities. Cavities beyond roughly 10 mm are routinely produced in PC because the formed walls stay stiff enough to protect the part. Clarity. Transparent tape supports visual and optical inspection without opening the reel. Temperature. PC holds properties up to roughly 120–130 °C, useful where downstream processes run warm.

What PC costs you in process terms

PC forms at a higher temperature than PS and holds heat longer, so the heating profile has to be set carefully and the cooling station has to be effective — otherwise pockets relax after forming and depth drifts. Cycle time on a flat-plate machine is usually a little longer than the equivalent PS job for that reason.

PC is also the material most likely to show stress marks or whitening if the die is too cold or the draw is too aggressive. Those marks are cosmetic in most cases but become a quality argument when the customer inspects through the tape, so the tooling surface finish and temperature control matter.

Tooling and equipment

Deep-cavity PC work is flat-plate work: the closed-mould dwell is what allows the pocket to form fully and cool in shape. Our JYT-P-006 and JYT-P-003 platforms cover deep cavities up to 25 mm and wide tape up to 120 mm respectively. Where the part is heavy and the tape wide, the two requirements often meet on the same machine.

Conductive PC grades are available and behave slightly differently in the heating station; the material certificate should reach us before the tooling drawing is approved. For a wider comparison of materials, see the materials guide.

Typical applications

Connectors and terminals, relays, shielding covers, large inductors, power modules and any component where the pocket has to survive shipping and handling without transferring load to the part. Semiconductor customers also use PC where cavity depth and inspection both matter — see carrier tape for semiconductor packaging.

Specifying a PC tape project

Provide the component outline, required cavity depth, tape width, PC grade (including ESD if applicable) and the accuracy standard. We will confirm the platform, tooling approach and acceptance criteria — contact our team.