Flexible Thinking: The Key to a Successful Flex Circuit Design Transfer
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
Flexible Circuit Technologies: ‘We Do it All’
April 16, 2020 | Dan Beaulieu, D.B. Management GroupEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
During IPC APEX EXPO 2020 in San Diego, Carey Burkett, VP of Flexible Circuit Technologies, sat down for an interview with Dan Beaulieu. The two discussed the company’s expansive growth, the current flex and rigid-flex landscape, and FCT’s drive to provide complete solutions from rigid and flex circuits through box build.
Dan Beaulieu: Good morning. Today, I’m pleased to talk to my friend Carey Burkett from Flexible Circuit Technologies in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Carey, thanks for being with me today.
Carey Burkett: Thanks for having me, Dan.
Beaulieu: This is a very interesting company that I’ve gotten to know in the last few months and one of the fast-growing success stories in North America. You’re a global company; I want to learn a little more about that. Carey, what can you tell me about your company?
Burkett: First of all, Flexible Circuit Technologies is a supplier of flexible circuits, rigid-flex, flexible heaters, and membrane switches, and then we also do specialized EMS assembly services all the way to complete box builds. We do it all.
Beaulieu: Is it true that your company started out doing just flexible circuits?
Burkett: Yes. In fact, that’s very important in today’s marketplace. Flex and rigid-flex are growing extremely rapidly. Engineers are being forced into those technologies due to a wide array of topics, whether it’s miniaturization, mobility, or connectivity. There are all kinds of reasons. Engineers across all markets are being driven to flexible solutions. One of the things that’s interesting is that it’s growing so rapidly that there are many new entrants into that market. Unfortunately, there’s a lack of true design talent in the industry.
Beaulieu: Correct. That’s a fact.
Burkett: One of the things that is unique about us is the application engineering support that we provide to our customers. We’re led by Mark Finstad. Mark co-chairs the IPC Flex Circuit 2223 Design Committee. He’s well known and the lead educator, along with another gentleman, at IPC events. Mark is also a noted columnist and one of the foremost experts on the globe, and yet it’s not just Mark. Our entire team of application engineers offers from 25 to 35 years of experience in designing flex and rigid-flex. It’s so important in helping customers get to cost-effective designs that are going to perform within the challenging applications that these circuits are typically used in.
To read this entire interview, which appeared in the March 2020 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
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