Benefits of Flex Circuits

High reliabilitySuperior packaging options

R e p ea t able in s t alla tion

Compared to discrete wiring, or ribbon cable, a flex circuit offersa customized repeatable routing path within your assembly. This gives you dependability where you need it. A flex circuit’s longevity can reduce service calls.

H a r s h e n v ironm e nt s F le x vs . wirin g h a rn ess

• Sp a c e a nd w e i g ht r e duction : A single flex circuit can replace sev-eral hardboards, cables, and connectors. Standard practice for flex boards is to cover the conductors withpolyimide. This dielectric layer protects your circuits far beyond the capability of simple soldermask. Other base and cover materials are available for a broad range of ambient conditions. • • R F as e p t ea asse t able m bl wir y : Flex circuits eliminate the need to color code andwrap bundles of wire, reducing the chance of assembly rejects and in-service failures. Total installed costs are lower, especially with volume production. e routin g: Eliminate wire routing errors; reducingtest time, rework, and rejects

Lon g duty cyc les

• Ro b u s t conn e ction s: Flat foil conductors dissipate heat better, car-rying more current than round wires of the same cross-sectional area. Conductor patterns in a flex circuit maintain uniform electri- cal characteristics. Noise, crosstalk, and impedance can be predict- ed and controlled. By design, a flex circuit can be made very thin, yet robustenough to withstand thousands to millions of flexing cycles while carrying signal and power without a break.

Hi g h v i b r a tion

Under vibration and/or high acceleration, a flex circuit’s ductilityand low mass will reduce the impact upon itself and solder joints. By contrast, a PCB’s higher vibrational mass will increase stresses upon itself, components and solder joints. Flex circuits can be shaped to fit where no other design can. Theyare a hybrid of ordinary printed circuit boards and round wire, exhibiting benefits of each. In essence, flex circuits give you unlimit- ed freedom of packaging geometry while retaining the precision density and repeatability of printed circuits.

F le x vs . h a rd b o a rd ( PCB )

• V e r sa ti le s h a p e: The most important attribute compelling design-ers adopt flex circuit technology is the capability of the flex circuit to assume three-dimensional configurations. • Low e r m ass: With a little experimentation and imagination, a flexcircuit can save up to 75% of the space and/or weight of conven- tional wiring. • Vi b r a tion r es i s t a nc e: Recurring costs are lower than many wireharnesses, and since a flex circuit is more resistant to shock and vibrations than a PCB, repair and replacement costs are less.

Ri g id-f le x

• Dou ble s id e compon e nt mountin g: Rigid-flex are the idealsolution for flex circuits where surface mount components will be mounted on both sides of the board.
Before: A tangle of wires connectsfour circuit boards.The flex circuit solution: A single circuitwith 7 stiffeners and 2 connectors provides all the needed interconnects. After: The package is neat, lightweight, and less susceptible to connectionfailure. • • Mo Tot s al t c co a p s t of own able /M a ximum e r s hip : v The maximum benefit of rigid-flex isrealized when the complete installation is reviewed for total cost of ownership. Using rigid-flex eliminates connections in the flex-to-rigid transitions while improving impedance control. i b r a tion r es i s t a nc e: Lets you integratethe best capabilities of resistant rigid areas and resilient flex areas. • Hi g h m ass compon e nt mountin g: When mounting a high masscomponent, a rigid board is the right solution. A rigid-flex board gives you a smooth transition between rigid and flex areas while preserving the benefits of each.

F le x-Coi ls ™

• Cu s tom coi l windin g: State of the art equipment generates ahighly repeatable component • Int eg r a t e d asse m bl y : allows best packaging of your fragile coil ina flex circuit sub-assembly. 4