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FLEX & RIGID-FLEX PCB CIRCUITS

Flex & Rigid-Flex circuits can be shaped to fit where no other design can. They are a hybrid of ordinary printed circuit boards and round wire, exhibiting benefits of each. In essence, flexible circuits give you unlimited freedom of packaging geometry while retaining the precision density and repeatability of printed circuits.

As a high reliability replacement for wire and wire harness assemblies, flex circuits provide a significant cost savings with no reduction in performance.

There are a variety of terminations for flex circuits and we can provide all of these as standard manufacturing process. Adding connectors and other minor component assembly is a common practice when producing flex and rigid flex circuits.

TYPES OF FLEX CIRCUITS

Single-Layer Flex Circuit

IPC 6013 - Type 1
One conductive layer, either bonded between two insulating layers or uncovered on one side.
Stiffeners, pins, connectors, components, are optional.

Double-Sided Flex Circuit

IPC 6013, - Type 2
Two conductive layers with an insulating layer between; outer layers may have covers or exposed pads.
Plated through-holes provide connection between layers.
Stiffeners, pins, connectors, components are optional.

Multi-Layer Flex Circuit

IPC 6013 - Type 3
Three or more flexible conductive layers with flexible insulating layers between each one; outer layers may have covers or exposed pads.
Plated through-holes provide connection between layers.
Controlled impedance possible.

Rigid-Flex Circuit

IPC 6013 - Type 4
Two or more conductive layers with either flexible or rigid insulation material as insulators between each one; outer layers may have covers or exposed pads.
Rigid-flex has conductors on the rigid layers, which differentiates it from multi-layer circuits with stiffeners. Plated through-holes extend through both rigid and flexible layers (with the exception of blind and buried vias). Rigid-flex costs more than a standard circuit with stiffeners.