Rigid-Flex design challenge

 

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.

 

To manufacture rigid flex PCBs, IPC offers advice and best practices. Technically speaking, rigid flex designs combine two or more conductive layers with flexible or rigid insulation in between them. The outer layers will then typically feature exposed pads or coverlay. Different from multi-layer flex circuits with stiffeners, the rigid layers will actually have conductors. Then plated through-holes will extend through both the flexible and rigid layers, with the exception of blind and buried vias. Because of those distinctions, rigid flex boards cost more than a standard circuit with stiffeners.

 

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.

More reliable connections, due to the combination of rigid layers and flexible cables.

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 before 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 PCB Capability

 

As a professional manufacturer of rigid-flex PCB in China, PCBontime always try to improve our capability to produce more rigid-flex PCB to our customers. Here is major capability:

1-10 flexible layers; multiple flex layers in either bonded or air gap configuration

1-40 rigid layers

2-50 layer rigid flexible circuits

Flex Core Materials: Polyimide (PI): 1/2 mil to 4 mils in either adhesive or adhesives constructions

Copper thickness: 1/3 OZ – 2 OZ RA or ED type (insert material/copper-foil.htm) in flexible circuit; 1/2OZ to 10 OZ in rigid circuits; Coverlays: 1/2 mil to 2 mils polyimide

Stiffeners material: polyimide, FR4, stainless steel, aluminum

Rigid Materials: 130, 170, 180 TG FR4, low flow prepreg

EMI/RF shielding films

Blind and buried vias available

Any layer available

Controlled impedance: 50 ohm, 90 Ohm, 100 Ohm, 110 Ohm and other value

Surface finishing: ENIG, ENEPIG, gold plating, gold fingers (3-30u” Au), Immersion silver

IPC 6013 – Class II & Class III available

 

Rigid-felx PCB Manufacturing Process

Manufacturing of rigid-flex PCB is much more complicated than other types of flexible circuit, here are simple manufacturing steps for your reference:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 a flexed curve during installation.

PCBontime provides services including PCB Prototype & Mass Production (Printed circuit board, China PCB, Chinese PCB factory, PCB Manufacturer China, Shenzhen PCB, pcb fabrication manufacturer, FPC, flexible PCB, Rigid-Flex PCB, single-sided pcb, double-sided pcb, multilayer pcb, LED pcb, Prototype pcb, CEM-1 PCB, CEM-3 PCB, FR-4 PCB, high frequency pcb, high CTI pcb, high TG pcb, impedance control pcb, blind hole pcb, buried hole pcb, HDI pcb, halogen free pcb, aluminum pcb, copper pcb, copper base pcb, Rogers pcb, Teflon pcb, Arlon pcb, taconic pcb, nelco pcb), PCB Assembly (SMT), Led Strip Light Solution, Plastic Parts and Mechanical Parts, etc. We are committed to meet the needs of global makers from different industries in terms of quality, delivery, cost-effectiveness and any other demanding requests in electronics.