Rigid Flex Circuit Boards
Rigid flex circuit boards are ideal for use in products that must be flexible and strong. They save space and weight and can withstand shocks, vibrations, and other industrial conditions that would cause wired connections to fail. Rigid flex PCBs are used in a variety of industries, including aerospace and defense, automotive electronics, and medical equipment. When they are fabricated with the recommended minimum bend radius, they can provide hundreds of thousands of flex cycles without failing.
However, the cost of rigid flex circuit can be intimidating for some projects. They are more expensive than traditional rigid and flexible PCBs due to their complex construction, higher raw material costs, longer manufacturing cycle times and lower yields. While it may be tempting to eschew rigid flex PCBs in favor of cheaper alternatives, doing so will only result in poor quality and reliability in the end product. This may also lead to thermal issues, electrical performance problems, flexibility and mechanical failures, and shorter circuitry lifespans.
By combining the benefits of rigid and flexible circuitry into one integrated unit, a rigid-flex board can reduce costs by eliminating the need for multiple connectors and wired connections. It also frees up space within the final product for miniaturization, making it easier to fit premium technology into smaller devices. This is particularly important for medical and military applications, where device malfunctions could lead to dangerous or disastrous circumstances.
Advantages of Rigid Flex Circuit Boards
Rigid-flex circuits are also able to offer greater reliability in high-speed applications. This is because they can accommodate higher component density, which increases performance and enables more functionality in a smaller package. Rigid-flex circuit boards can also be a better choice for higher-performance devices that require multiple layers of signal transitions between the rigid and flexible sections of the board. This is because achieving the desired results with separate rigid and flexible boards can be difficult, resulting in impedance mismatches and signal degradation.
Rigid-flex circuits combine the strengths of rigid and flexible circuitry into a single, integrated unit that offers increased performance in portable electronics and greater reliability in demanding environments. They can be used in both dynamic and static flex applications, and their flex areas can be incorporated into tight spaces that would otherwise require multiple rigid boards and rigid-flex interconnects to fit.
They can also withstand harsh environmental conditions that would damage other types of circuitry, such as UV light, oils, radiation and extreme temperatures. These features make rigid-flex circuits an ideal solution for medical and military applications, as well as aerospace and automotive electronics. They can also be incorporated into other electronic devices that demand the best of both worlds — flexibility and strength. For more information about the advantages of rigid-flex circuits, contact us today!