Successful Flex Circuit Design and Processing Guidelines

Reading time ( words)

With the use of sensors and technology in everything from mobile phones to refrigerators, automobiles, and wearable medical devices, circuit boards are a component in many different types of products. In today’s world of electronics, any product with an on-off switch contains a circuit board.

Due to their versatility, the use of flex circuits is one of the fastest growing product market segments. With the introduction of flex and rigid-flex circuits, engineers have been given the opportunity to be more creative in designing new and innovative products. Flex and rigid-flex boards are built to fit into tight, threedimensional spaces while ensuring resistance to mechanical wear and vibration. Engineers can design products that require boards to fit into tight spaces, twist and turn for packaging, and make the product live in a more dynamic environment. These flexible circuits have the same performance levels as traditional rigid FR-4 boards; however, they have their own nuances and considerations when it comes to design, fabrication, and assembly.

Design and Layout

When designing a flex circuit, it is important to know the specific application for the circuit. Will it be used in a static or dynamic environment? If the board will reside in a static environment with little to no movement, the circuit design needs to have the appropriate amount of flexibility so that it can be easily installed within the product. Alternatively, if the board will exist in a dynamic environment where the board will continuously flex back and forth, a level of flexibility that can withstand continuous movement needs to be considered in the design.

Will the application require a flex or a rigidflex circuit? If the product requires one-sided surface-mount technology, then a fully flexible board may be the best option. If the product requires two-sided SMT, then a rigid-flex board is needed.

To read the full version of this article which originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of Flex007 Magazine, click here.

08/01/2019 | Todd Kolmodin, Gardien Services

Some people think of the PCB manufacturing process as a black box: design data goes to the manufacturer (fabrication house), and magically, the finished PCB is produced. While it may have been like that in the past, in actuality, fabricating PCBs today is quite a ballet of processes.

07/24/2019 | Jeff Beauchamp, NCAB Group

Creating reliable PCBs is an outcome of considering all aspects that can affect reliability as early as possible in the design process. The further down the design process, the more expensive and risky it can be to fix. As they say, everything starts with the design. Because a good board design improves the reliability of the end product and lessens the risk of failure.

07/09/2019 | Mark Thompson, CID, Prototron Circuits

Deciding on the class of the final product will determine what files are needed for fabrication and assembly. It is critical to note that for a product to be built to any class level, it must be designed to that class level from its inception.