Points To Note While Configuring Rigid Flex Circuit Boards

A flex-rigid PCB contains both flexible and rigid board materials. In these components, the layers of flexible substrate remain attached to rigid boards by external or internal means. Flex-rigid PCBs provide more options to designs while eliminating the need for costly or unreliable connections between flexible and rigid substrates. Designing a rigid-flex PCB requires you to pay particular attention to the smallest of details. It is the best way to ensure the integrity of the PCB and the success of all the subsequent manufactured boards. Here are some of the design considerations that you or your manufacturing partner must address when creating rigid-flex board designs.

Management of stacks 

Popular manufacturers of Rigid-Flex Circuit Boards that you can reach via cplfpc suggest you inspect the stack-up of the PCB design. It should be a precise template for the finished item. Designers should use the appropriate software program to create rigid-flex layouts that work. If there is a flaw in the rigid-flex stack-ups or if inefficiently managed, then you will have to incur delays. You may also have to put up with performance-related issues. You can use ECAD and the tools that support board-specific stack-ups while designing rigid-flex PCBs. With region-specific stack-ups, you will have to add more changes to fine-tune the design of the boards. Board-specific tools let you alter the outline of the board easily when designing the stack-ups.

Ground-plane integrity 

Are you going to ask the manufacturers of Rigid-Flex Circuit Boards from Capel Technology Co. Ltd to design dynamic-flex PCBs or flex-to-install PCBs? Dynamic-flex PCBs should be able to fold repeatedly whenever someone uses a device. On the other hand, flex-to-install PCBs should bend only when you place the PCB inside the gadget while assembling it. Manufacturers can create flex-to-install PCBs faster than dynamic-flex PCBs because you will apply mechanical stress only during placement. Ground-plane and overall signal integrity are the key concerns with dynamic-flex PCBs. Then again, you should emphasize on the reliability of the substrates and other materials used in manufacturing the component. For instance, if you plan to use solid copper ground planes to route high-speed circuits in a dynamic-flex PCB, then the unbroken copper layers on the flexible components may crack or fail at any moment.

Managing the bends 

Trace routing is just one of the concerns to worry about when you carry ground planes or power on the flexible zones of PCBs. In situations such as these, surface-mounted pads and the through-holes also remain at risk in bends that fold repeatedly. That is why you must use additional overlay for anchoring surface-mounted pads. Furthermore, you should through-hole plating to increase the overall durability of the PCB. Experts suggest you refrain from designing rigid-flex boards with components or vias close to the bends. The constant mechanical stress can affect both PCB components and vias that are close to the areas that fold.

Handling the traces 

While designing the traces, you should route them perpendicularly to the bending areas. Such a routing configuration will reduce the stress on the traces in rigid-flex PCBs. Another trick for you to use is to offset the traces on double-sided rigid-flex circuits. Once you stagger the traces on the top and bottom of a circuit, you will realize that the PCB gets stronger and it can withstand continuous bends with better consistency. You must avoid bending the traces at a 90-degree angle as it imparts more stress on those traces. Instead, you should design them to follow straight paths.