Epec's Blog | Electronics Manufacturing Solutions

In the dynamic world of electronic design, the IPC 2223C standard has emerged as a cornerstone for enhancing the reliability and performance of flex and rigid-flex circuits. Established in 1998, this pivotal guideline set forth by the IPC (Institute for Printed Circuits) has been instrumental in addressing the complexities and challenges inherent in the design and manufacture of these versatile circuits.

In the dynamic world of flex circuit design, a recurring challenge presents itself: balancing electrical requirements with mechanical demands. These two aspects often clash, creating a complex scenario for designers.

Flex circuits, integral to modern electronics, present unique challenges in their design and application. This blog post delves into the complexities of integrating electrical requirements with mechanical constraints in flex circuit designs. We'll explore various applications, their design considerations, and industry standards, providing a comprehensive view for engineers and designers.

In the realm of high-speed electronic design, controlled impedance is an absolute requirement for flex and rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB) configurations. This blog post delves into the intricacies of achieving controlled impedance in these designs, examining the factors that influence it, the different configurations available, and their impact on PCB thickness and flexibility.

The most important, most critical, and among the most helpful of all documents for building and designing flex and rigid-flex circuits is IPC-6013.

A stiffener is defined as a piece of material adhered to a flexible printed circuit board that rigidizes one zone of the board. While a stiffener holds no electrical value to a PCB, it does maintain a crucial part of most flexible PCBs in the market by hardening that portion of the board.

At first glance, the answer to the question “How many layers can a flexible circuit have before it can no longer bend?” sounds like a simple, black-and-white answer. However, this answer proves to be more complex than expected and involves a great deal of specifications before it can be answered.

One of the key components in the stack-ups for flexible circuits is adhesives. From bonding coverlays to the surface to adhering stiffeners to rigidize the circuit to creating additional use applications for the circuit, adhesives hold many possibilities and can add another dimension of complexity to flexible circuits.

Applications that rely on printed circuit boards (PCBs) to control functions can experience difficulties when having operating components or when designed in slimmed or smaller sizes. Standard rigid circuit boards have to be made in specific sizes and dimensions, which can make it difficult when designing working components that could scrape against and damage the PCB.

Rigid-flex printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a great solution to combine the benefits of both rigid and flex PCBs, but as a result, can accumulate the design challenges of both types alongside creating their own challenges along the way.