Rigid-Flex Printed Circuit Boards
Using rigid-flex printed circuit boards reduces product size by eliminating the need for extra connector components and cables. This streamlines assembly, speeds up production times, and makes the final product more cost effective. It also saves space and can improve the design of the end product, particularly in applications where spatial efficiency is a concern.
Flex PCBs have thin copper layers and adhesive-less laminates, which make them small, thin, and light. The design allows them to fit into spaces where standard rigid-flex printed circuit board can’t, making them ideal for space-saving applications. They can be designed in 3D, providing additional flexibility. This is particularly beneficial for applications that require a custom housing, such as drones or medical equipment that comes into contact with patients.
Rigid flex circuit boards are used in a wide range of industries, including aerospace and military, automotive electronics, and healthcare devices. They are used in devices that need to be adaptable and withstand environmental factors, such as vibrations or extreme temperatures. The hybrid design of these PCBs creates a more resilient board, which increases reliability and durability.
How Rigid-Flex Printed Circuit Boards Reduce Product Size
Flexible PCBs have the ability to withstand more bending than rigid boards, but the tolerance level depends on the material and the design of the board. In order to increase flexibility, it’s best to use thinner traces with wider endings. This will help to prevent them from forming sharp corners, which are more likely to break or tear during assembly. In addition, it’s a good idea to use hatched copper areas instead of solid ones where the bending radius is expected to be tight. Solid copper pours have heavily biased stresses in 0°, 90°, and 45° angle directions, while a hatched pattern has much less.
PCBWay’s rigid-flex design tools allow designers to choose stiffeners for selected areas in the board. These are stiffened with rigid material to provide additional mechanical stability for the flex portion of the board. Typically, they are placed around edge connectors and mounting holes.
A rigid-flex circuit board can be made with both FR4 and metal (usually stainless steel or aluminum). If a conductive path needs to go through both materials, then a hybrid can be created. In this case, it is recommended to use a no-flow prepreg for the rigid-flex bonding.
Rigid-flex PCBs can be fabricated in the same way as rigid and flex boards, but they are typically more expensive than conventional PCBs due to the complexity of the manufacturing process. This is especially true when multiple designs and cable assemblies are required, but they offer many advantages over rigid PCBs in terms of size, flexibility, and performance. They are especially beneficial in space-saving electronic devices that need to be able to withstand various environments and conditions. For more information, contact us today. We’d love to discuss your project with you! We can help you decide whether a rigid-flex or a traditional rigid board is the right solution for your unique application. Our dedicated team is standing by to assist you in any way that we can.
