| Flex circuits is a pattern of conductors created on a bendable film that acts as an insulating (dielectric) base material. The top is coated with a dielectric cover layer. FPC can be developed using polyester or polyimide (Kapton) as the base material depending on your interface requirements. Structure can be rigid or flexible to reduce interconnection and incorporate tails directly into the circuit. FPC can be designed from simple single layer copper flex on polyester to complex double sided on polyimide, and even intricate multi-layer composition.
Benefits of flex circuits compared to traditional cabling and rigid boards include:
- Reduced wiring errors
- Elimination of mechanical connectors
- Unparalleled design flexibility
- Higher circuit density
- More robust operating temperature range
- Stronger signal quality
- Improved reliability and impedance control
- Size and weight reduction
Specification of Flexible PCB:
| Maximum Size |
500 x 1000mm |
| Plating |
Tin-Lead, Nickel and Gold |
| Minimum Spacing Between Circuits |
3 mil |
| Minimum Drill Size |
0.2mm |
| Minimum Annual Ring |
4 mil |
| Peel-Off Strength |
1.0N/mm |
| PTH Wall Copper Thickness |
0.025mm |
| Standard Line Width: 0.25mm, Minimum Line Width: 0.10mm |
| Standard Trace Pitch: 0.5mm, Minimum Trace Pitch: 0.2mm |
Thickness Tolerance of Flexible PCB:
| Single Sided |
0.013mm |
| Double Sided |
0.025mm |
| Rigid Flex |
0.050 to 0.178mm |
| Hole Dia. Tolerance(PTH) |
±0.05mm |
| Outline Tolerance |
±0.1mm |
Materials of Flexible PCB:
| Base Material and Thickness |
Polyimide (0.025mm , 0.050mm) or Polyester (0.076mm, 0.127mm) |
| Conductor (Copper-RA or ED) |
1/3oz, 1/2oz, 1oz |
| Coverlay Layer and Thickness |
Polyimide (0.025mm), Polyester (0.050mm) |
| Stiffener Material |
FR-4, Mylar or Kapton |
Flexible PCB offers the OEM customers the following advantages: trace routing and current carrying capabilities as well as the SMT component populating options of a FR4 printed circuit board. Flexible PCB can be developed using polyester or polyimide (Kapton) as the base material depending on your interface requirements. Also, flexible PCB can be developed to be either rigid or flexible to reduce interconnects and incorporate tails directly into the circuit. Elcom Design strives to provide the customers with the ideal flexible PCB that best suits their applications. | 
