Flex PCBs |
Flex PCBs, also known as flexible printed circuits or flexible electronics, provide greater options for designers and engineers when assembling electronic circuits.
They are constructed from flexible, high-performance plastic material, usually polyimide, which enables the board to bend or "flex" during use. This flexibility opens them up to use in a wide range of applications.
Here are the most common types of flex circuit construction:
- Single-sided flex PCB
- Back-bared flex circuits
- Double-sided flex PCBs
- Multi-layer flex circuits
- Rigid flex PCB
- Sculptured flex circuit board
Flexible PCB Capabilities & Tolerances
| MULTI-LAYER FLEX CIRCUITS | ENGLISH | METRIC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Board Size | 19.68" x 13.38" |
500 x 340 mm |
|
| Maximum Board Thickness | 1 (copper) layer | 8.5 mil |
0.22 mm |
| 2 layers | 12.6 mil |
0.32 mm |
|
| 4 layers | 16.5 mil |
0.42 mm |
|
| Minimum Board Thickness | 1 (copper) layer | 2.5 mil |
0.065 mm |
| 2 layers | 4.7 mil |
0.12 mm |
|
| 4 layers | 11.8 mil |
0.30 mm |
|
| Maximum Number of Layers | 16 layers |
||
| Minimum PTH (Plated Thru Hole) diameter | 0.0079" |
0.2 mm |
|
| Maximum aspect ratio | 10:1 (max. thickness 0.0066", min. PTH 0.0079") |
10:1 (max. thickness 2mm, min. PTH 0.2 mm) |
|
| Minimum Traces/Spaces | 0.002" / 0.002" |
0.05 mm / 0.05 mm |
|
| SURFACE FINISHES TYPES | |||
Lead Solder (HASL) |
OSP (Entek) |
||
Lead Free Solder (HASL) |
Electrolysis gold plating |
||
Immersion Gold (Electroless Nickel Gold - ENIG) |
Immersion Tin (White Tin) |
||
Immersion Silver |
|||
| MATERIAL | |||
FR-4 |
Teflon |
||
FR-5 |
Polyimide |
||
Aluminum |
BT |
||
Other material available upon request |
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