Flexible Circuits Design Guide

Flexible Circuits Design Guide

 

Flexible and rigid-flex circuits are the building blocks of virtually various electronic products, as they required durable, reliable, lightweight 3D circuitry. Now, flex circuits are found in nearly every industry. They are used in devices those we use on a daily basis—from phones to computers. Wearable technologies almost always require flexible circuits: PCBs need to be durable, tiny, and conform to a myriad of shapes and movements. They are also used in everything from cars, trains, and airplanes to satellites, missiles and radios.

Flexible PCBs are lightweight, easy to install, durable, and compact. The wide range of motion makes it ideal for nearly all applications. Use flexible circuits in “bend to install” applications or dynamic applications, where the circuits are continuously in motion. Flexible circuits are also be benefit to the design packages where space is a primary concern.

What to keep in mind when designing your first flex PCB? We hope you find this flex PCB design guide useful. If you have any questions, BEST TECHNOLOGY have engineers and designers who would be more than happy to address any concerns.

Flex Circuits Stack UP

 



In order for customer to understand stack up of flex circuits stack up and different availability, so we list some basic types of BEST TECH.

1 layer flex circuits

One layer flex circuits construction is the most simple structure for flexible printed circuits. The followings are the stack up of 1 layer flex circuits for adhesive and adhesiveless.

 

1-layer-flex-circuits-a

For more information about the 1 layer flex circuits stack up, please click here 1 layer flex circuits stackup.

2 Layer flex circuits

As the name implied, 2 layer flex circuits stackup means there are two copper trace in it. Standard layer stack up for 2 layer flex circuits from Best Technology, there are 8 types for adhesive and 5 types for adhesiveless.

 

2-layer-flex-circuits-less

For more information about the 2 layer flex circuits stack up, please click here 2 layer flex circuits stackup.

4 Layer Flex circuits

When the circuitry is too complex to rout or the copper foil is needed for ground shielding, then the multi-layer board is required. Further details of 4 layer flex circuits stack up of Best Technology as below, adhesive and adhesiveless both are listed.

 

4-layer-flex-circuits


Flex Circuits Capability

We list out our usual material and technological specification of Flexible Circuits & flex printed circuits (FPC) at the belowing table. Also you can view the facility tolerance of circuits.

If you would like some special material, tighter tolerance or other requirements of flexible PCB(flex circuit board), you can Contact our stuff directly, we are at your service at anytime.

Parameter (Default Unit: mm)

Polyimide (PI)

PET

Laminate Thickness (mil)

1/2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3

Copper Foil (OZ)

0.018,0.035,0.070

0.035,0.070

Min Pattern width/Space (mil)

2/2

3/3

Min. Drilled Hole Size

Non-Plated Thru

0.20mm ( .008" ); Tolerance +/-.05mm( .002")

Plated Thru

0.25mm ( .008" ); Tolerance +/-.076mm( .003")

Outlines Dimension (Normall)

+/- 0.15mm

+/- 0.15mm

Outlines Dimension (Special)

+/- 0.05mm

+/- 0.05mm

Peeling Strength(180°Direction)

>1.2kgf / cm

>1.2kgf / cm

Solder Heat Resistance

280℃ / 10secs

280℃ / 10secs

Surface Treatment

Ni/Au

25μm

25μm

Au Plating

0.025 ~0.1μm

0.025 ~0.1μm

Sn/Pb (Lead Free)

3~ 20μm

3~ 20μm

Sn-Cu Plating (Lead Free)

3~ 5μm

3~ 5μm

Tin Plating (Pure Sn)

5 ~ 8μm

5 ~ 8μm

Bending flexibility

Meet to IPC Criterion

Chemical Resistance

Meet to IPC Criterion