Flexible Thinking: Another PCB Design Paradigm Shift in the Works
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
BMW i Ventures Invests in Flexible Circuit Tech with CelLink
October 31, 2019 | BMW i VenturesEstimated reading time: 1 minute
BMW i Ventures has recently invested in CelLink, a San Carlos, CA-based manufacturer of flexible circuit technology that delivers high-conductance, large-area, lightweight, and low-cost flexible circuits through a proprietary combination of manufacturing processes, designs, and materials. The investment arm of BMW, aimed at finding advanced technologies and trailblazers for the Bavarian Group participated in a $22.5 million Series B funding round alongside Ford Motor Co. and Robert Bosch Venture Capital.
The new funding is aimed at ramping up production of large-area flexible circuits for power and data transmission and will support CelLink’s operations as it scales up existing production contracts and transitions several projects into full-scale production. CelLink will continue to ramp production in its first manufacturing facility through 2019, and the company intends to bring a new production facility online in the 2020-21 timeframe to meet additional demand.
“We believe CelLink’s technology will transform wire harnessing from an ‘old school’, simple technology to a more advanced, integrated, multi-purpose, flexible circuit technology with more functionality and lower cost. Automotive wiring is finally becoming high tech,” said Marcus Behrendt, partner at BMW i Ventures.
“CelLink was founded eight years ago on the premise of providing interconnect solutions to the solar industry. We are thrilled that the core innovations that we developed have evolved into a new type of flexible circuit that addresses the growing challenges of vehicle wiring and light-weighting, battery wiring, and energy-efficient lighting applications,” added CEO and co-founder Kevin Coakley.
The US-based company is specialized in creating lightweight, low-cost circuits which can be used to replace bulky harnesses used on cars today. Conventional wiring is to be replaced in the near future with thin conductive circuits sandwiched between two sheets of flexible plastic. This way, the company claims it can reduce weight brought on by circuitry by anything between 70%-90%.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Expansion, Retirement, and New Leadership at FCT
01/09/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIn the dynamic landscape of interconnect solutions, Flexible Circuit Technology (FCT) is making waves through significant leadership changes and expansion initiatives. Vice President Carey Burkett, newly appointed executive vice president Ray Cottrell, and marketing director Abby Meyer share their vision for steering the company toward innovative growth. FCT has a robust focus on diverse markets such as medical, automotive, consumer electronics, and HDI (high density interconnect). They are accelerating FCT’s mission to provide exceptional value and service to customers throughout the product lifecycle.
Flex PCB Design Best Practices with Dave Lackey
12/04/2024 | Brittany Martin, I-Connect007David Lackey, a flex circuit expert at American Standard Circuits, speaks about the advantages and challenges of designing with flexible and rigid-flex PCBs. He also discusses how consulting before the design phase can save time and costs by avoiding manufacturing issues and highlights the reliability and packaging benefits of flex technology, especially for compact designs in sectors like aerospace.
Flexible Electronics Market to Reach $75.04 Billion by 2032
12/03/2024 | Globe NewswireThe SNS Insider report indicates that,“The Flexible Electronics Market Size was valued at USD 32.65 Billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 75.04 Billion by 2032 and grow at a CAGR of 9.72% over the forecast period 2024-2032.”
NTT, Olympus Joint Demonstration Shows IOWN APN's Low-latency Capability
11/21/2024 | JCN NewswireNTT Corporation and Olympus Corporation announced that, following the start of their joint experiment in March of the world’s first cloud endoscope system which processes endoscopic videos on the cloud, they jointly established a cloud endoscopy system utilizing the IOWN APN technology.
All Flex Solutions Adds Talent to Flexible Circuit Facilities
11/14/2024 | All Flex SolutionsAll Flex Solutions is excited to welcome John Letourneau as our Director of Facilities and Maintenance at our Flexible Circuit Centers of Excellence!