High current busbar for backplane

[rowan.bradley]

Hi,

I'm working on a system that has 13 boards in a case with a motherboard/backplane. The system can take intermittently up to 80A at 15V, and I have to be able to supply this to the PCBs. The track on the motherboard is not big enough (and can't be made big enough) to take this current. I'm therefore looking for a way of getting this curent to the boards, preferably without redesigning the motherboard. What I imagine is a copper strip with holes in it every 0.2" which could be soldered to the power pins of the edge connector, thus dramatically increasing the current carrying capability and reducing the voltage drop. I've been looking for such a thing, but I can't find it.

Does anyone know of a product like this, or indeed any way of reliabily distributing up to 80A of DC power to boards on a backplane?

Because the peak current will only occur rarely, and then only for a couple of seconds at a time, I'm more worried about the voltage drop down the power bus and the peak current handling capability than about longer term heating effects.

Thanks for your help - Rowan

 

[shrtrnd]

I've cut my own from copper sheet stock.
But you can usually buy the size you need, cut to your specs from the supplier.
Another idea would be heavy copper braid.

 

[shrtrnd]

I did a little looking around.
ELECTRICAL (not electronic) supply places have the types of buss bars you're
looking for.