Flexible PCB

Flexible PCB prototype manufacturer

Flexible PCB prototype manufacturer — The flexible PCB was originally designed as an alternative for robust wiring connections. It was first taken into inception during World War II. Then onwards, it has shown a constant growth as Flex PCB is prolifying in almost every type of PCB designs. In fact it has replaced solid PCB in many applications. A best Flex printed circuit is array of conductors bonded to a thin dielectric film.

Like rigid PCB types, a flex PCB can be single sided, double sided or multi-layer type. Now we also have Flex-Rigid PCB. The Flex PCB is widely used as alternative to wiring application. It helps id error reductions. No separate headers are required and FPC connectors reduce complexity and hence product precision, the quality of signal is also increased as cross-talks have no space. It has also helped in compact size designs.

Single sided PCB can be also used from both side specially in connectors applications. In these cases, head of PCB is kept open but this result in costly production.Normally, flex PCBs are designed using polyamide as base material. PCB design process for double sided PCB is usually same but we have to take care for cross talks reduction, signal interference, copper thickness, and impedance requirements (for specific like RF design). Similar is the case with multi-layer PCB designs as they have challenges of cross-over, impedance matching, lamination problem, etc. Normally vias are manufactured as plated holes.
You can see Flex circuit applications in gaming systems, battery packs, cellphones, fuel pumps, calculators automobile and aviations and the list of applications are endless.

In manufacturing of Flex PCB, we have conductors, adhesives, insulators and finishing materials. Though copper is most commonly used conductor in two forms – Rolled Annealed and Elecro-deposited. The conductors used for fPCB design can be Aluminium, Carbon, Silver ink, Inconel and Constantan. The adhesives are used for gluing two layers PCB (cab be Epoxy or acrylic. Pressure adhesives ate also used in flex PCB manufacturing). Insulators are substrate (base) on which copper prints are drawn. There are variety of materials used like polyimide, polyester, photo image-able coverlay, screen printed dielectric, etc.The final finishing is processed as per requirements and applications. For precision Immersion nickel/gold, Hard nickel/gold, Wire bondable gold is used.

Normally flex PCB thickness shoulde be the following:
A: 0.1mm substrate + ≤0.5 oz copper ,finished thickness of flexible pcb board<0.15mm
B: 0.2 mm substrate + 1.0 oz copper,finished thickness should be about 0.26~0.27mm
Flexible printed circuit board can be supplied as loose pieces or in panelization.