In this guide, we'll look at how flex PCBs are made, starting with design and covering the various materials and processes used in fabrication.įlex PCB and rigid-flex PCB design and layout are interrelated the major difference between flex and rigid-flex is an interconnect spanning into the rigid ends of the board. These materials are standard in the flex and rigid-flex world as they integrate with a PCB stackup, allowing simplified routing between rigid and flexible regions with standard interconnects. However, when I am asked to speak about flex circuit fabrication or design, it is nearly always addressing the market segment utilizing flexible polyimide materials. There is no denying the volume driven by RFID tags, which often use aluminum on flexible polyester materials. Those flexible circuits on polyester are certainly a significant portion of the flex market. Thinking back to my college days, I think my knowledge of flexible circuits extended only as far as “that white ribbon that moves back in forth in my printer.” While flex circuits are a growing segment of the printed circuit board industry, many seasoned PCB designers have not yet worked with flex materials. The number of raised hands dropped dramatically. The follow-on question asked for a show of hands for those that had designed a flexible circuit. Roughly 75% of the room raised their hands. Speaking to a group of students about printed circuit board fabrication recently, I asked for a show of hands asking how many had designed a rigid printed circuit board.
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