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Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should
March 20, 2025 | Tony Plemel, Flexible Circuit TechnologiesEstimated reading time: Less than a minute

Decisions are usually made by gathering information and differing opinions, then making the best choice based upon that information. The same process is used when designing flexible circuits and rigid-flex circuits.
For example, when designing a flex circuit or rigid-flex circuit, we consider some basic factors:
- Required layer count
- The size and shape based upon limited space
- Components on one side or both sides of a rigid or stiffened area
- Electrical, mechanical needs
- Layer stackup
These factors need to be carefully weighed on their own merit, and on how they interact with each other, in order to arrive at the most reliable and cost-effective design.
Let’s say a customer comes to me with a four-layer rigid-flex circuit design where the rigid copper-clad material is on the top and the flex copper-clad is on the bottom.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the March 2025 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
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American Standard to Participate in European Microwave Week 2025
09/05/2025 | American Standard CircuitsAnaya Vardya, President, and CEO of American Standard Sunstone Circuits has announced that his company will once again be taking part in European Microwave Week, Europe’s premier RF, microwave, radar and wireless event, to be held from September 21-26, 2025 at Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Fresh PCB Concepts: Designing for Success at the Rigid-flex Transition Area
08/28/2025 | Team NCAB -- Column: Fresh PCB ConceptsRigid-flex PCBs come in all shapes and sizes. Manufacturers typically use fire-retardant, grade 4 (FR-4) materials in the rigid section and flexible polyimide materials in the flex region. Because of the small size, some rigid-flex PCBs, like those for hearing aid devices, are among the most challenging to manufacture. However, regardless of its size, we should not neglect the transition area between the rigid and flexible material.
Symposium Review: Qnity, DuPont, and Insulectro Forge Ahead with Advanced Materials
07/02/2025 | Barb Hockaday, I-Connect007In a dynamic and informative Innovation Symposium hosted live and on Zoom on June 25, 2025, representatives from Qnity (DuPont's electronics business), DuPont, and Insulectro discussed the evolving landscape of flexible circuit materials. From strategic corporate changes to cutting-edge polymer films, the session offered deep insight into design challenges, reliability, and next-gen solutions shaping the electronics industry.
Excellon Installs COBRA Hybrid Laser at Innovative Circuits
06/23/2025 | ExcellonExcellon is pleased to announce the successful installation of a second COBRA Hybrid Laser System at Innovative Circuits, located in Alpharetta, Georgia. The Excellon COBRA Hybrid Laser System uniquely combines both UV and CO₂ (IR) laser sources on a single platform—making it ideal for high-density prototype and production printed circuit boards (PCBs).