What is the typical lifespan of products utilizing rigid flex boards?
products utilizing rigid flex boards
Rigid flex boards offer the best of both worlds, with the rigidity of traditional PCBs and adaptability of flexible circuitry. This unique combination of characteristics makes them ideal for a wide range of applications, including medical devices, aerospace and defense equipment, industrial automation systems, and automotive electronics.
In addition to their adaptability, rigid flex board also boast exceptional reliability and durability. This is especially true when they’re designed with a focus on mechanical stability, allowing them to withstand harsh environments like high-vibration. To ensure the integrity of the circuit board during these challenging conditions, rigid flex boards are designed with a variety of design and manufacturing considerations that make them resistant to bending and compression.
One of the most important considerations is that rigid flex PCBs are designed with a number of plated through holes (PTH) that are used for interlayer connections between the flexible and rigid sections of the circuit board. This allows for a high level of component density while minimizing space constraints. Rigid flex circuit boards can also incorporate mounting components on both sides of the board, which further increases component density while optimizing the use of available space in an electronic assembly.
What is the typical lifespan of products utilizing rigid flex boards?
Another important feature of rigid flex boards is that they are typically thinner than other PCBs. This allows them to be easily manipulated for 3D assembly, and they can be a perfect choice for applications that require a small, thin, and lightweight design solution. Rigid flex boards are also highly customizable and can be made with different surface finishes, such as HASL, ENIG, immersion silver, and OSP. This allows designers to choose the finish that will suit their application requirements and provide the best performance.
Rigid-flex PCBs are also more cost-effective than other types of printed circuit boards. This is because they don’t require the same fabrication and assembly processes as other types of circuit boards, resulting in lower material costs. Additionally, they’re able to be manufactured in smaller batches than other types of printed circuit boards, which can further decrease manufacturing costs.
The process of producing a rigid-flex PCB starts with designing the circuit layout and stack-up. This involves specifying the number and configuration of rigid and flex layers as well as selecting the material for each section. Once the design is complete, the flex sections are laminated to the rigid layers using specialized adhesives, forming a robust and flexible composite structure. The resulting rigid-flex circuit is then ready for assembly and testing.
To prepare your flex-rigid PCB for manufacturing, it’s helpful to work with a unified platform that provides MCAD and ECAD tools in a single software application. This gives you a clear view of your flex-rigid’s bending region and simplifies the process of creating documentation for the final product.
With these features in place, you’ll be able to take your rigid-flex PCB from concept to completion and deliver a reliable prototype that will meet the needs of your project’s unique design requirements. To get started, you can try Altium Designer + Altium 365 for free today.
