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Rigid Flex Printed
Circuit Boards

What is a Rigid Flex PCB?

Rigid flex printed circuit boards are boards that use a combination of flexible and rigid board technologies. Most rigid flex boards consist of multiple layers of flexible circuit substrates attached to one or more rigid boards externally and/or internally, depending upon the design of the application. The flexible substrates are designed to be in a constant state of flex and are usually formed into the flexed curve during manufacturing or installation.

Rigid flex designs are more challenging than the design of a typical rigid board environment, as these boards are designed in a 3D space, offering greater spatial efficiency. By being able to design in three dimensions designers can twist, fold and roll the flexible board substrates to achieve their desired shape for the final application's package.

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Rigid Flex Capabilities

We build relationships with the best rigid flex PCB manufacturers available so we can provide you with the best product for your applications. We can provide rigid flex for complex multilayer commercial applications or high-reliability MilSpec printed circuit boards. Whatever your rigid flex PCB needs are, we can facilitate this process and ensure you get exactly what you need in a short amount of time.

We can turn your rigid flex PCBs in as fast as 48 hours.

If you're ready to connect with our experts to meet your PCB needs, you can call us at 1.800.732.5143, contact us through our website, or use our PCB quote system.

 

Specifications Capabilities
Drill to copper – Outer layers 8 mil
Drill to copper – Inner layers 10 mil
Copper Thickness 0.5 oz - 4 oz
Minimum Hole Size 0.004"
Minimum Trace/Space 0.003"/0.003"
Minimum Pitch 0.5 mm
Copper to board edge 0.007"
Coverlay Opening 0.003"
Coverlay Web (Kapton) 0.006"

Rigid Flex PCB Fabrication Applications

Rigid flexible PCBs offer a wide array of applications, ranging from military weaponry and aerospace systems to cell phones and digital cameras. Increasingly, rigid flex board fabrication has been used in medical devices such as pacemakers for their space and weight reduction capabilities. The same advantages for rigid flex PCB usage can be applied to military weaponry and weapon control systems

In consumer products, rigid flex doesn't just maximize space and weight but greatly improves reliability, eliminating many needs for solder joints and delicate, fragile wiring that are prone to connection issues. These are just some examples, but rigid flex PCBs can be used to benefit nearly all advanced electrical applications including testing equipment, tools and automobiles. Not sure what technology needs to be used for your project? Call our experts and we can help you figure out whether you need rigid flex, flex PCB, RF PCB or other technology.

Rigid Flex PCB Technology and Production Process

Whether producing a rigid flex prototype or production quantities requiring large scale PCB fabrication and PCB assembly, the technology is well proven and reliable. The flex PCB portion is particularly good in overcoming space and weight issues with spatial degrees of freedom.

Careful consideration of flex-rigid solutions and a proper assessment of the available options at the early stages in the PCB design phase will return significant benefits. It is critical the PCB fabricator is involved early in the design process to ensure the design and fab portions are both in coordination and to account for final product variations.

The manufacturing phase is also more complex and time consuming than rigid board fabrication. All the flexible components of the rigid flex assembly have completely different handling, etching and soldering processes than rigid FR4 boards.


Rigid Flex PCB with Flex Substrate


Rigid Flex PCB at Interconnect Point

Benefits of Rigid Flex PCBs

  • Space requirements can be minimized by applying 3D
  • By removing the need for connectors and cables between the individual rigid parts the board size and overall system weight can be reduced.
  • By maximizing space, there is often a lower count in parts.
  • Less solder joints assure higher connection reliability.
  • Handling during assembly is easier in comparison with flexible boards.
  • Simplified PCB assembly processes.
  • Integrated ZIF contacts provide simple modular interfaces to the system environment.
  • Test conditions are simplified. A complete test prior to installation becomes possible.
  • Logistical and assembly costs are significantly reduced with flex-rigid boards.
  • It is possible to increase the complexity of mechanical designs, which also improves the degree of freedom for optimized housing solutions.

Rigid Flex Design and Fabrication Issues

During the PCB design process, certain considerations must be taken into account for final product size variations. In the manufacture of rigid flex boards, the flexible polyimide core will shrink once the bonded copper foil is etched away. This variation must be accounted for in the design process.

The final assembly process requires the flex portions to be bent into shape, stressing the flex laminations with the potential to cause stress fractures.

We are experts in rigid flex fabrication. Call us for help in the design process: 800.SFC.5143 or chat with our expert staff.

Call us: 1-800-SFC-5143

 

San Francisco Circuits, Inc.

1660 S Amphlett Blvd #200
San Mateo,CA 94402
Toll-Free: (800)732-5143
E-mail: sales@sfcircuits.com

San Francisco Circuits - San Diego

3914 Murphy Canyon Rd., Suite A244
San Diego, CA 92123
Local: (858)576-7202

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