<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=140460429997534&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">

Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

Paul Tome

Paul Tome
As Product Manager of Flex & Rigid-Flex Circuits, Paul oversees our entire flex & rigid-flex product line. Though Paul's main responsibility is customer technical support, he is involved in each project from the beginning conceptual stages to delivery. He works directly with customers on their specific design requirements and makes sure that each product is designed correctly, troubleshooting any issues that may arise in the process. Paul came to Epec with 24 years of a great variety of experience in the electronics industry. He has been involved in all aspects of the industry including sales, engineering, and manufacturing. He has worked with PCBs and equipment manufacturing and has also been the owner of an engineering service and trust bureau. Previously, he was president at Advanced Circuit Services. Paul's experience and expertise make him an indispensable part of Epec's team. Paul holds a mechanical engineering degree from Seneca College.

Recent Posts


Overview of Via Holes in Flexible Circuit Board Designs

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on April 18, 2023 at 9:01 AM

Devices are becoming smaller and thinner, requiring circuit boards that can fit into the equipment without adding any additional weight while being flexible enough to route around components. Flexible printed circuit boards offer high-density electrical connections while also reducing space.

Read More  

The Future of Rigid-Flex PCBs in Electronics Manufacturing

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on December 20, 2022 at 9:11 AM

Rigid-flex circuit boards are the integration of rigid PCB technology with flexible circuit technology in one unit that is capable of both interconnect and operating functions in a device.

Read More  

Flexible Printed Circuit Board Design Guidelines for Dual Access

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on December 6, 2022 at 8:54 AM

There are a wide variety of flexible circuit board design options available to solve interconnect requirements. One of the more unique is a dual access flex PCB construction. This unique construction of a dual access flex circuit can be beneficial for many applications.

Read More  

Flexible Circuit Board Designs with Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on November 22, 2022 at 9:13 AM

The unique capabilities of flexible circuits allow for additional design elements that are not available in rigid PCB designs. A very common one is integrating Pressure Sensitive Adhesives (PSA) into the design. A PSA is a double-sided adhesive tape that can serve multiple purposes. The PSA is attached to the flex as part of the manufacturing process and the release film is retained on the exposed side to protect the adhesive until it is installed.

Read More  

Differences Between FR4 and Polyimide Materials In Flex Circuits

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on November 8, 2022 at 9:08 AM

Identifying the differences between rigid PCB FR4 materials and flex circuit polyimide materials can be useful to customers who are implementing flex circuit designs for the first time. Beyond the obvious difference in flexibility, the two types of materials have different available thicknesses, copper types, and properties that impact high-speed controlled impedance signals.

Read More  

Why HASL Surface Finish for Flexible Circuit Boards Is Not Recommended

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on October 26, 2022 at 8:48 AM

The hot air solder leveling surface finish (HASL) is the second oldest surface finish available for printed circuit boards and up until a point in time was virtually the standard surface finish used in the electronics industry (originally with leaded solder and more recently the RoHS version with lead-free solder).

Read More  

Flexible Circuit Boards with Lap Joints: Design Considerations

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on October 18, 2022 at 8:51 AM

Flex circuits have many unique capabilities to solve design challenges. One of these is a lap joint capability that allows a flexible circuit board to be directly attached to another circuit or component eliminating the need for any type of connector.

Read More  

How to Avoid Fracturing Traces in a Flexible PCB Design

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on October 6, 2022 at 8:19 AM

Contrary to some customers’ perspectives, flex circuits are not indestructible. As with any part that contains a metal if it is bent or handled beyond its physical capabilities it will break. In this blog, we will cover the 3 main causes of fractured or cracked circuits in a flex design and how to prevent them from occurring. We’ll also review how to determine the minimum bend capabilities of a flexible circuit board design.

Read More  

Why Heat Dissipation is Important in Flexible Circuit Board Design

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on September 6, 2022 at 8:23 AM

Heat dissipation is the ability of a part, whether a circuit or any other component, to take the heat that's being generated by a component or an element of the design and to distribute it, dissipate it, and make the heat go away, for lack of a better phrase. This prevents the temperature of the part from continuing to elevate as the device is operated.

Read More  

Flex PCB Design Options: PCB Pattern Plating vs. Pad Plating

Written by Paul Tome
Posted on May 11, 2022 at 9:21 AM

Flexibility is a critical element in most flexible circuit board designs. Whether it’s to meet a tight “one-time bend-to-fit” application or a “dynamic” infinite bend cycle application. To meet these requirements, a flex circuit design must be kept as thin as practically possible, use the correct copper type, and utilize the correct copper plating process.

Read More  
Subscribe to our blog Subscribe to our blog

Recent Posts



Quote Your PCB's Online

InstantPCBQuote - Online Quote and Ordering Solution for Rigid PCB's

Register today and start to quote and order your circuit boards online, 24/7.

Start Quoting Now

Need Help with A Project?

Request Design Support

Our team of engineers are here to help you with all your product needs.

Request Design Support