Material Insight: A Conversation with Congressman Blake Moore
It’s Only Common Sense: Going Well Beyond the Norm
The New Chapter: Teach the TerminologyAn Overview of Rigid-flex Design
September 13, 2023 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute
For this month’s issue on rigid-flex design, we spoke with instructor Kris Moyer, who teaches the IPC class “PCB Design for Flex and Rigid-Flex Boards.” In this wide-ranging interview, Kris breaks down the hurdles facing rigid-flex designers and offers a variety of solutions for rigid board designers taking on their first rigid-flex circuits. He also provides a few horror stories to illustrate what happens if you don’t follow sound design practices, rules, and standards. And, as Kris points out, “Your fabricator is your friend.”
Andy Shaughnessy: What are you trying to get across to the students when you’re teaching rigid-flex design? What are the biggest challenges?
Kris Moyer: One of the biggest concepts I want to get across to students is that there are a lot of untapped, unforeseen, intangible benefits to rigid-flex, both from a design point of view and a total cost of ownership point of view. Rigid boards are usually connected with wire harnesses or cables, and we know that wire harnesses and cables are the largest point of failure in the system. Wires and cables tend to break, especially at the solder joints or pins. If we can remove all those harnesses and integrate all of that into the structure of the board, we can vastly reduce the failure rate of our designs.
If you choose to go rigid-flex, there is an initial cost expenditure: added processes, time, complexity, and all of that. But let's say I have a design with three circuit boards that would need two cable harnesses, one from board one to board two, and one from board two to board three. That's a grand total of five different item numbers I would need for each board. I would have three drawing numbers: a number for the schematic, a number for the board, and a number for the assembly. For three boards, that's nine drawings I must maintain, and then another two drawings per cable, and let's assume two cables. That's a total of 13 separate drawings and part numbers I have to maintain in my system.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the September 2023 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Real Time with... productronica 2023: Koh Young Discusses Semiconductor and Advanced Packaging Inspection
11/27/2023 | Real Time with...productronicaKoh Young’s Harald Eppinger talks about the company’s technology for the semiconductor and advanced packaging market and how they address the challenges introduced by reflective components and micro solder deposits.
HyRel Technologies Attains ITAR Registration, Reinforcing Leadership in Robotic Solder Component Tinning
11/27/2023 | HyRelHyRel Technologies, a global provider of quick turn semiconductor modification solutions, announces the achievement of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) registration.
Mek Launches the SpectorBOX X1: A Revolution in 3D THT Inspection
11/24/2023 | Mek (Marantz Electronics)Mek (Marantz Electronics), a leader in Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) solutions, used last weeks’ Productronica show in Munich to proudly introduce the SpectorBOX X series, a modular full 3D AOI system for THT solder joints and THT components.
The Finer Points: World Champions of the IPC Hand-Soldering Finals
11/21/2023 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007Productronica 2023 played host to the IPC World Hand Soldering Competition, bringing talented regional solder champions from all over the globe to compete for the title of World Champion. Each competitor was given sixty minutes to assemble a complex printed circuit board with their performance judged in accordance with IPC-A-610 Class 3 criteria. Each competitor’s efforts were rated on the merits of the results achieved, scored on the quality of the assembly process, the electrical functionality of the assembly and the speed at which the assembly was produced.
MacDermid Alpha Launches ALPHA SF828-MBB Photovoltaic Liquid Flux for Advanced Multi-busbar Interconnections
11/21/2023 | MacDermid AlphaMacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, a leader in integrated materials and technologies for the electronics industry, introduces ALPHA® SF828-MBB.