Long Rigid Flex PCB Fabrication up to 2 meters
Printed circuit boards manufactured with rigid flex are great for automotive, industrial, medical, and consumer electronic products requiring connections on the board's backside or a flexible form factor. However, one of the things that people struggle with when it comes to making rigid flex PCBs is making PCBs longer, up to 2 meters.
This guide will help you better understand the long rigid flex PCB fabrication and hopefully help you get your next board fabricated quicker, cheaper, and more accessible.
Long Rigid Flex PCB Fabrication
Long Rigid Flex PCBs are fabricated with all the same processes as a standard rigid flex, but in a longer length. The main reason for using a long rigid flex board up to 2m over other options is that it allows you to fit more components on one board without worrying about them interfering with one another or getting overheated by other nearby components. This means you can pack more features into a smaller area than you would be able to do with different types of PCBs.
Long rigid flex circuits can be fabricated in both single-sided and double sided configurations, although double sided is more common due to its ability to handle higher current loads and provide better heat dissipation than its single sided counterpart.
Moreover, they can be fabricated with or without solder mask and silkscreen printing. They can also be supplied with plated through holes which allow the signal to pass directly through the board rather than via an external connector like a pin header or edge connector.
Long Rigid Flex PCB Benefits
Long rigid flex PCB fabrication is a relatively new service many PCB manufacturers offer. It has been gaining popularity in the last few years and is becoming increasingly popular with each passing day. The main reason for this is that it offers several advantages over traditional rigid flex PCBs, such as:
Easier Design Process – Since a flexible hinge connects the two sides, you can design your board as if it were an ordinary single-sided PCB. This makes the design process easier and faster than designing a rigid-flex PCB with no hinge.
Increased Flexibility – You can bend your long rigid flex PCB in any direction and still have it perform its function correctly. This makes it perfect for applications where you may need to bend or twist your board while still being able to use all of its features correctly.
Greater Durability – Because of its increased flexibility, long rigid flex PCBs are much more durable than traditional rigid-flex circuits. They can withstand damage from impact or from bending without causing any damage to the circuit itself.
Better Aesthetics – Since there are no wires connecting both sides of the board, there is no need to worry about how much space they occupy or how they might look when placed next to each other on your circuit board.
Reduced Weight – Since long rigid flex circuits are made from a thin flexible material, they weigh less than rigid boards, which means you will have less weight on your final product, reducing cost and improving efficiency over time.
No Need for an Enclosure – Since the two sides of your long rigid flex PCB are connected by a hinge, there is no need for an enclosure around it. This saves time, money, and space during manufacturing processes because no extra components are required to hold the two sides together during production stages or after they have been assembled into one device.
EMI Performance – Since both sides of the board are connected via a flexible hinge, there are no gaps between them that could allow electromagnetic interference (EMI) to pass through the board undisturbed. This allows your PCB to be used in more applications where EMI concerns.
Materials for Long Rigid Flex PCB Fabrication
Long rigid flex PCB fabrication up to 2 meters requires high-quality materials supporting high temperatures during soldering operations. Some of them include:
Epoxy Resin - An epoxy chemical compound contains at least two epoxide groups. Epoxies are typically hard, brittle, and transparent. Epoxies can be used to manufacture electrical components because of their insulating properties, which are ideal for coating electrical wires.
Thermosetting Resins - Thermosetting plastics are plastics that harden through a chemical reaction upon curing (or polymerization). Thermosets do not melt under heat and cannot be remelted once cured. Thermosets cannot be softened or reshaped once hardened.
Long Rigid Flex PCB Applications
The main applications for long flexible PCBs include:
Automotive: These are used as connectors between cars and other vehicles. They also provide power to vehicle components such as airbags and satellite navigation systems. They are also used in other areas of vehicles, such as steering wheels, lights, and climate control systems.
Medical: These are used in medical equipment such as heart monitors, pacemakers, and surgical equipment like endoscopes. They can also be used to monitor patients during surgery or administer drugs into their bodies through an IV drip feeder.
Industrial: These are used in various industrial equipment, including machines that require high-temperature processing like ovens, dryers, and heaters. Some examples of industries that use them include food processing plants, power plants, and manufacturing facilities that need to monitor their temperature levels regularly without having to open doors or windows for temperature changes.
Military: These are used in military applications such as night vision goggles, lasers, communications equipment, surveillance equipment, and other military hardware that needs to be lightweight but strong enough to withstand rough conditions.
RF Modules: RF modules are used for wireless communication systems like WiFi hotspots, GPS systems, etc. These RF modules require high-speed data transmission between multiple components, which can be easily achieved using long rigid flex circuit boards as they have better electrical properties than other types of interconnects like wire bonding or flip chip technology.
Contact Hemeixin
Long rigid flex PCB up to 2 meters might be just the ticket for a compact, high-speed solution for your next product design. You will have more options on how to fabricate PCBs, which is worth knowing. Long rigid flex PCBs can be applied without fail, even in tight spaces and specific situations. Their construction is simple, and their usefulness is magnificent. To help you decide whether or not rigid flex PCB is correct for you and if it has a place in your niche, get in touch with Hemeixin HDI PCB. What we have in store for you might change how you approach your projects.
