How to Become Good Rigid Flex Pcb Manufacturer from Scratch?

Advantages and disadvantages of making rigid-flex printed circuit boards

Table of Contents:

1.Introduction to rigid flex pcb manufacturer
2.Rigid-flex PCB boards- a developing technology
3.Advantages with Rigid flex PCB manufacturer?
4. What kind of material is used for rigid-flex PCB and what does that mean for manufacturing and processing?
5.General rigid flex PCB manufacturers guideline for the design of printed circuit boards
6.Design rules to pay attention with rigid or flex PCBs
7. What should Rigid flex pcb manufacturers do for better results?
8.Disadvantages with rigid flex pcb boards
9.CAD layout for HDI rigid printed circuit boards
10. How to minimize risk with rigid flex pcb manufacturers?

 

Introduction to Rigid flex pcb manufacturers

Rigid flex pcb manufacturer has become a symbolic icon. Rigid-flexible circuit boards have become an exotic product of the circuit board industry. Too expensive, too complex and too confusing in terms of rules, that the designer has to consider. That has changed fundamentally.

Rigid flex pcb manufacturer still has a class in printed circuit board technology. However, the exotic touch has gone. Flexible and Rigid flexible circuit boards have conquered our everyday lives. Ordinary assemblies have long been on high level built in large numbers.

Mobile phones, video cameras, cameras, MD and MP3 players rely on the technical and strategic options. These are rigid flexible materials in combination with modern circuit board technology results.

Rigid-flex circuit boards are circuit boards that combine conventional “rigid” boards with thinner, flexible areas.  Subsequently, Rigid flex pcb manufacturers can thus replace various rigid circuit boards that would otherwise have to be connected with cables.

Rigid flex pcb boards- a developing technology

Until the beginning of 2000, rigid-flexible circuit was primarily common in big industries. Rigid flex pcb manufacturer investment in high-performance systems for the production of multilayer printed circuit boards changed the conditions. Similarly, the advances in manufacturing technology at the medium-size pcb board manufacturers have resulted in rigid flexible products. Nowadays Rigid flex board manufacturers are making swift and smarter pcb boards.

Generally, a rigid-flexible multilayer is always a hybrid. which means materials of different quality must be pressed together.

For drilling and metalizing the sleeves, this means sensitive coordination of the process parameters. It requires a lot of Rigid flex pcb manufacturer experience and skill.

 

Advantages with Rigid flex pcb?

• Small volume.
• Very thin.
• Easy to integrate with FR4 & HDI.
• Can be moved a lot
• Easy to customize
• Can be soldered with components
• The installation time is often reduced
• Various components of the assembly (connectors, cables, additional circuit boards, etc.) are saved.
• It enables a higher degree of miniaturization

The reliability of the assembly increases because plug contacts are often potential sources of contact problems. In addition, this applies in particular to dynamic bending loads on the flexible area. which could otherwise quickly lead to the loosening of plugs. Rigid flex pcb manufacturer need to pay attention to this.

 

What kind of material is used for flex pcb and what does that mean for manufacturing and processing?

Rigid flex pcb manufacturers make a pcb that consist of a so-called hybrid structure. Conventional FR4 is common for rigid areas, while the flexible parts are made of polyimide. In addition to different bendability, these materials have various different properties too for building rigid-flexible boards.

A resulting challenge for Rigid flexible pcb manufacturer in the different thermal expansion behavior. A pcb board manufacturer should check it before the pressing. so that the multilayer composite later fits perfectly. Furthermore, the adhesive properties of polyimide when pressing are far lower than that of FR4 and require special methods for roughening.

Rigid flex pcb manufacturers make it sure that individual placement without a utility frame is difficult or almost impossible in the placement machine. This is due to the flexible areas. Therefore, it is always a good idea to manufacture rigid flex in one panel. And to separate it only after it comes under proper fitting. It is also important to remember that polyimide is a very hygroscopic material.

It absorbs a lot of water from the ambient air. This property of polyimide means that improper processing (soldering) causes moisture to escape and bubbles to form. This is called delamination. For this reason, it is essential and absolutely necessary for rigid flex pcb manufacturers to temper rigid-flex circuit boards in an oven immediately before soldering. Above all, that this moisture can escape slowly and not through a “temperature shock”.

General rigid flex pcb manufacturers guideline for the design of printed circuit boards

 

• Material
• Mechanical/physical properties
• Electrical properties
• Thermal properties
• Assembly
• Bores
• conductors
• Documentation
• Test

Design rules that you should pay attention to with rigid PCBs

• Attention should be paid to the asymmetrical structure.
• Vias in the rigid area
• Always round off transitions from the flexible area to the rigid area.
• Avoid all copper surfaces in the flex area.
• No trace change of direction in the flex area, if only minimal.
• Do not lay conductor tracks parallel to the bending radius, but choose straight conductor track.
• Drill holes at least 3mm from the flex area.
• Position the conductor tracks that are thicker on the outside as tearing protection.
• Standards according to IPC 6010/6013 flexible circuit boards, or also IPC 2223.
• With regular heavy loads, single-sided flex circuit boards are more advantageous. Copper should be in the neutral zone, which is better for permanent bending.
• In order to achieve maximum adhesion to the base material, the solder eyes should be designed as large as possible under very high loads.
• The pad diameter should be chosen at least twice as large as the drilling diameter.
• The distance from the current-carrying conductor tracks to the outer contour is ≥ 0.4 mm, better to route to 1 mm in your design.

What should Rigid flex pcb board manufacturers do for better results?

Rigid flex pcb designer should raster the pcb board surface for good bending results. Similarly, he should pay attention to the grid. Since it can lead to delamination in the flex layer and rigid layer.

Furthermore, rigid flex pcb manufacturer should take care of the distance between conductor tracks and pads.

Similarly, Rigid flexible pcb board manufacturers can also improve board resistance by quality measuring. All corners of the contour must take round shape. Copper placement and stiffeners also serve as tearing protection. All slots in the circuit board must have an end hole.

The flex area should have parallel, equally wide conductor tracks with the same insulation resistance. It will run perpendicular to the bending line.

 

Disadvantages with flex pcb boards

• Requires special tools and experience
• Complicated removal of the SMD components
• Electrical testing of the assemblies
• Cleanliness is critical
• Overtime
• signs of fatigue can appear in the copper foil
• PI is more sensitive to moisture than FR4

 

What makes rigid flex pcb manufacturers special?

1. Little space
2. low height
3. low weight
4. automated assembly
5. great stability
6. High

The rigid-flexible materials are characterized by reliability and constructive freedom.  That is why many rigid flex pcb manufacturers like it. These products meet technically demanding requirements for dealing with complex geometric and functional tasks.

Although “normal” rigid-flexible circuit boards are 3 to 5 times larger than regular pcb boards. Rigid flexible pcb manufacturers have low-cost quality material that reduces the end product price ultimately.

You can see the reason in device installation process. The assembly can be more functional. Individual components of a device are complex. Subsequently, following components should be in the following sequence:

• Input acquisition
• Display
• storage and evaluation of data
• external interfaces
• sensors and power supply

But the assembly of individually assembled plugs and ribbon cables is lengthy, complex and expensive. Rigid flex pcb manufacturers can save money, space, and weight.

Rigid flex pcb applications

We can find Rigid flex printed circuit boards in all areas of life. The vibration-decoupled connection of moving components is used in mechanical engineering. Medical technology has gone far to use pcb made electronic equipment.  Simultaneously, these devices play a vital role in artificial joints also.

 

Rigid flex pcb manufacturers and electronic industry in the automotive sector has given an additional boost. The use of rigid flexible circuits is also increasing in more conservative sectors. The numerous applications in avionics, in particular, demonstrate the trust in the reliability of Rigid flex pcb manufacturers. And that the costs in comparison provide better benefits. The mass use of pcb boards in the automotive industry is its proof.

The commercial manufacturing for the more complex and expensive rigid-flexible circuit is not always easy compared to a “standard PCB”. In short, the main difference to rigid Printed circuit board consists of considering the total system cost.

Rigid flex pcb manufacturers can lead towards a cheaper assembly via following ways:

• Saved component costs
• reduced assembly costs
• simplified testing costs

Shorter handling time and more uncomplicated process documentation ensure cheaper assembly.

 

CAD layout for HDI rigid printed circuit boards

 

Rigid flex pcb manufacturers are paving new ways in making HDI rigid printed circuit boards. Subsequently, in the current era, pcb board technology is rising day by day. The CAD design can, therefore, offer all the advantages of the rigid sub-areas of a rigid-flex multilayer.  Rigid flex pcb board manufacturers can use selective contacting variants to apply multiple pins.

Many classic rules for the design of rigid-flexible printed circuit boards have lost the strength. The assembly of components on flexible base material areas is now a common procedure of rigid flex pcb board manufacturers. Ignoring minimum bending radius is also a major reason for this.

Generally, the routing rules are clear for rigid flex pcb manufacturers. There are primarily additions in the area of ​​safety distances in Transition from rigid to flexible part. There is a gap here

• 1.0mm for all conductor patterns and components.

Polyimide film tears easily. As mechanical tear protection should be in Area of ​​an inner contour exposed flexible material.

Rigid flex pcb Material

Rigid flex pcb manufacturers use polyimide as the standard material for single or double-sided flexible circuits.

• Moisture absorption
• low outgassing
• maximum thermal resilience.

For the assembly of a rigid flexible printed circuit board, manufacturer use flexible polyimide material for rigid inner layer. This is usually the popular FR4. But also, rigid Polyimide and special materials can be processed.

The dielectric is around 3.4 and has the consequence that the geometry of transmission lines must be adjusted. Rigid flex pcb manufacturers should press them over the flexible portion of a circuit board. Therefore, the adhesive force of the copper on the flexible polyimide foil is> 1.0 N / mm.

In addition, the maximum operating temperature> 100 ° C. Both values ​​match the comparable performance parameters of FR4. Because of the combined processing with materials suitable for high frequencies, there are also Solutions for assembly concepts and electronic circuits.

How does rigid flex PCB manufacturers construct layer structure?

There is no typical product limitation for the number of layers in a rigid flex multilayer. Today’, rigid flex pcb manufacturers focus on higher performance of electronic assemblies. It requires low space and provides excellent compatibility with the latest electronic devices.

Subsequently, in terms of design, a pcb board manufacture should insert the flexible part of a rigid-flex multilayer in the middle. But we can also press onto the outer layers or an asymmetrical structure. The laminates are usually used for a rigid-flexible multilayer with conventional FR4-

Alternatively, rigid flex pcb manufacturers can use polyimide. Acrylic and epoxy resin adhesives were the main structure in the past. Similarly, with the increasing focus on lead-free assemblies in the shadow of the demand for RoH-compatible products, rigid flex pcb manufacturers are trying to reduce adhesives requirements.

By inserting power planes into a layer structure, rigid flex pcb manufacturers should take effective measures for signal issues.

Cooling is also important. Both thick copper circuits as well also the installation of metal cores are constructive options. Pcb board manufacturers should design the distance before starting the process. Furthermore, Rigid flexible assemblies must have flat fitting.

Do you want to hire competent pcb manufacturers?

rigid flex pcb manufacturers offer too many individual production parameters related to the design. The function and the Use of a rigid-flexible assembly are bound. Talk to the rigid flex pcb manufacturers you trust. He will give you the right staff at your side, who will advise you competently on

• material selection,
• layer structure and
• CAD design.

New electronics require better design and high efficiency. rigid flex pcb manufacturers are bringing new ways to build multilayer pcb boards. But it also invites a lot of complexities too. Only an end product can increase the reliability of rigid flex pcb manufacturers. In short, it is crucial to work maximum on pcb board design.

Professional modern rigid flex pcb manufacturers do not damage board components. Similarly, they provide necessary component replacement too. Therefore, it has become generally accepted that printed circuit boards:

• lead-freeSoldering processes
• must withstand at least 6 thermal loads without damage

How to minimize risk with rigid flex pcb?

Avoiding the risks that have become clear in the project is only possible through:

• better understanding
• To achieve communication between circuit board designers, circuit board manufacturers and module producers.
• The rigid flex pcb manufacturers must base the material depending on the electrophysicalRequirements (e.g. signal integrity), the product environment and the heat load through the processing and soldering processes.
• The rigid flex pcb manufacturer must know how the printed circuit board is thermally stressed during assembly manufacture if it is to make the material selection.
• The module manufacturer must check the material properties of the circuit board. Subsequently, he should know the layer structure. So that he can select the suitable soldering process and the risks of the material can recognize and minimize

“If you want to know how large the security area of ​​a specific printed circuit board is or how you can move as far as possible with your soldering processes from the failure without major”

Try the following:

1. Take 8 circuit boards from the production lot to be examined.
2. Dry half of it at 120 ° C for 24 hours.
3. Then load the test pattern with the 260 ° profile from J-STD-020 until the first onePCB delaminated.

With this experiment, you can easily determine how large the safety distance in your manufacturing process for the specific type of PCB is? And to what extent rigid flex pcb manufacturers can reduce the risk of delamination. Of course, you can do this test with a little effort but equipping better techniques and equipment.