Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

At the conclusion of our webinar, Tips for Designing Flex Circuits for Medical Applications, we had several questions submitted to our presenter, Zachary Walker, Product Manager of Flex and Rigid-Flex Circuits at Epec. We have compiled these questions into a readable format on our blog.

When it comes to modern electronics, space is always at a premium, reliability is paramount, and design decisions can significantly impact product performance. Flexible circuits (flex) and rigid-flex PCBs often sit at the center of these decisions.

In product development, speed matters. Design teams are under constant pressure to move faster without increasing risk, especially when developing custom cable assemblies that require hard tooling and molded features.

Printed circuit board (PCB) field failures are among the costliest issues electronics companies face. A circuit board that performs perfectly in the initial testing process but fails in the field can be catastrophic. Performing design-for-manufacturability (DFM) on the PCB data before production manufacturing begins prevents oversights that could have been prevented early in the product lifecycle.

Battery pack designs take into consideration the type of environment for the application. Harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures, vibrations, shocks, moisture, dust, and humidity may degrade battery cells.

In cable assembly manufacturing, overmolding is more than just a finishing touch; it is the process that protects internal wires, seals out moisture, and provides durability in tough environments. The quality of an overmolded cable assembly often determines how reliable the final product will be in the field. But one factor that is sometimes underestimated is how much temperature and humidity influence the overmolding process.

Effective thermal management is a crucial aspect of multilayer printed circuit board fabrication. As circuit density and power requirements continue to increase, so does the potential for heat buildup within a board’s layers. Without proper control, excessive temperatures can cause delamination, warping, component failure, and signal instability.

Every device requires unique power and energy needs, whether it requires a strong jolt of power when starting up or a steady amount of energy for long periods of work activity. Yet factors such as aging, degradation, extreme temperatures, and severe discharging events can impact the available capacity of a battery cell.

Rigid-flex PCBs are engineered to eliminate the very failure points introduced by traditional cable and connector assemblies, but they’re not immune to failure themselves. While rigid-flex technology reduces interconnects and improves signal integrity, it also introduces unique design and handling challenges. When not properly accounted for, these challenges can result in costly production issues, reduced reliability, or premature field failure.

It’s no secret that as printed circuit boards (PCBs) have evolved into higher technology levels, it has become more difficult to process the boards in a standard production setting. By standard, I mean panelized boards popped onto the line or conveyor and letting them run. Copper is the driving processing factor for a lot of production; the ounce weight drives the part and determines how long.