Flexible Thinking: Rules of Thumb: A Word to the Wise
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
Connect the Dots: Five Best Practices for Designing Flex and Rigid-flex PCBs
Insulectro and DuPont Experts Talk Flex Design
September 25, 2019 | Mike Creeden, CID+, InsulectroEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
I recently spoke with Insulectro’s Chris Hunrath and DuPont’s Steven Bowles at the DuPont Technology and Innovation Center in Sunnyvale, California. We discussed a variety of topics related to flex design, including the support structure that’s needed in flex design, the everchanging world of flex materials, and the need for working with a flex fabricator as early as possible in the flex design cycle.
Mike Creeden: Welcome, gentlemen. Today, I’m with Chris Hunrath of Insulectro, the vice president of technology, and Steven Bowles, flex circuit applications engineer at DuPont. Today, we’re visiting the DuPont Silicon Valley Technology and Innovation Center in Sunnyvale, California. This is an impressive facility.
To provide some background on myself, I’m now the technical director of design and education at Insulectro. I’m an EPTAC IPC master instructor teaching CID and CID+ programs, and I’m also the founder of San Diego PCB—a company I sold to Milwaukee Electronics Screaming Circuits in 2016.
Today’s designers and engineers are finding the need for using flex, rigid-flex, and printed electronics in all market segments. As we start approaching the next generation of electronics, materials matter. So, the IPC Designers Council Executive Board created and recommended a definition for the profession of design layout that would be published in the first page of the IPC-2200 series designer specifications. The definition explains what a designer needs to do to make revision 1 work. It has been referred to as “The Designer’s Triangle,” explaining three perspectives for success. The first perspective is DFS (designing for solvability). Truly solving HDI with micro devices as best you can by using any of the CAD tools in front of you. The next perspective for success that the designer needs to accomplish is DFP (design it for performance). As we route our circuits the copper plays a part, and the materials that exist between the copper play a significant part. I’m hoping Chris can address that. The third perspective is DFM (designing for manufacturability), and much of that is why this Technology and Innovation Center exists at DuPont. I’m hoping Steven can tell us about that because people need to be able to discover what the next step is as they consider flex design and how it can be built.
Steven, can you tell us a little bit about your background and your role at DuPont?
Steven Bowles: I’m a flex circuit applications engineer at DuPont Silicon Valley Technology Center. I’ve been with DuPont for a little over a year now. Before that, I manufactured flex, rigid, and rigid-flex circuits for about 15 years. I worked at a few different board shops, all domestically, in multiple processes and engineering positions. I’ve also participated in IPC, am a current member of over a dozen standards development groups, and chair three of them.
Creeden: Next, can you tell us about yourself, Chris?
Chris Hunrath: I’ve worked both on the fabrication side and on the supply side of the PCB industry. I started with multilayers back in 1983 and never looked back. I have been working with the supply side about two-thirds of my career and with Insulectro for the past 18 years. I work a lot with our customers, especially on the flex circuit side, by helping them select the right materials and with the processes in the fabrication of flexible circuit boards.
To read this entire interview, which appeared in the August 2019 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Unlocking Advanced Circuitry Through Liquid Metal Ink
10/31/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamPCB UHDI technologist John Johnson of American Standard Circuits discusses the evolving landscape of electronics manufacturing and the critical role of innovation, specifically liquid metal ink technology, as an alternate process to traditional metallization in PCB fabrication to achieve ever finer features and tighter tolerances. The discussion highlights the benefits of reliability, efficiency, and yields as a tradeoff to any increased cost to run the process. As this technology becomes better understood and accepted, even sought out by customers and designers, John says there is a move toward mainstream incorporation.
Fresh PCB Concepts: The Critical Nature of Copper Thickness on PCBs
10/31/2024 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsPCBs are the backbone of modern electronics and the copper layers within these boards serve as the primary pathways for electrical signals. When designing and manufacturing PCBs, copper thickness is one of the most critical factors and significantly affects the board’s performance and durability. The IPC-6012F specification, the industry standard for the performance and qualification of rigid PCBs, sets clear guidelines on copper thickness to ensure reliability in different environments and applications.
Book Excerpt: The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to... DFM Essentials, Ch. 1
10/25/2024 | I-Connect007The guidelines offered in this book are based on both ASC recommendations and IPC standards with the understanding that some may require adjustment based on the material set, fabricator processes, and other design constraints. This chapter details high-frequency materials, copper foil types, metal core PCBs, and the benefits of embedded capacitance and resistor materials in multilayer PCBs.
The Cost-Benefit Analysis of Direct Metallization
10/21/2024 | Carmichael Gugliotti, MacDermid AlphaCarmichael Gugliotti of MacDermid Alpha discusses the innovative realm of direct metallization technology, its numerous applications, and significant advantages over traditional processes. Carmichael offers an in-depth look at how direct metallization, through developments such as Blackhole and Shadow, is revolutionizing PCB manufacturing by enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. From its origins in the 1980s to its application in cutting-edge, high-density interconnects and its pivotal role in sustainability, this discussion sheds light on how direct metallization shapes the future of PCB manufacturing across various industries, including automotive, consumer electronics, and beyond.
Connect the Dots: Designing for Reality—Pattern Plating
10/16/2024 | Matt Stevenson -- Column: Connect the DotsIn the previous episode of I-Connect007’s On the Line with… podcast, we painted the picture of the outer layer imaging process. Now we are ready for pattern plating, where fabrication can get tricky. The board is now ready to receive the copper traces, pads, and other elements specified in the original CAD design. This article will lay out the pattern plating process and discuss constraints in the chemistries that must be properly managed to meet the customer's exacting manufacturing tolerances.