Construction of Rigid Flex PCB

There are numerous manufacturers are supplying the Rigid-flex PCB with different prices and features. But the best and highest-quality PCB supplier is PCBWAY that is offering high-quality different types of PCB board as well as rigid-flex PCB. They are equipped with high-level machines with engineers to operate these machines. They offered fast delivery to their users and at reasonable prices. Rigid-flex PCB offered by the PCBWAY has different features that are listed here. Will help you to buy these services according to your requirements and needs.

The main capabilities provided by PCBWAY for Rigid-flex boards are

Feature	Capability
Material	Polyimide Flex+FR4
Min. Track/Spacing	4mil
Min. Hole Size	0.15mm
Rigid-Flex Thickness	0.4-3.2mm
FPC Thickness	0.08-0.4mm
Solder Mask Color(Rigid Part)	Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, White, Black, Purple, Matte Black, Matte green
Covrelay (Flex Part)	Yellow Coverlay, WhiteCoverlay, Black Coverlay
Silkscreen	White, Black
Finish Cooper(Flex Part)	0.5-2oz
Finish Cooper(Rigid Part)	1-4oz
Via Process	Tenting Vias, Plugged Vias, Vias not covered
Additional Options	Half-Cut, Impedance Control
Build time	10-20 days
Lead time	2-3 days

Table of Contents

Construction of Rigid-Flex PCB

Rigid-flex boards are made through the use of rigid and flexible boards. These boards are created with the use of multiple circuit internal layers. The epoxy pre-preg bonding film is used for the connection of internal layers. The main advantage of such barods is that they are a mixture of high-quality flexible and rigid circuit boards.

They are stable and easy to assemble so they help the proper signal transmissions and enhance the efficiency of boards where used.

Different combinations of rigid-flex boards come with 4-layer rigid flex having ENIG finish, 10-layer rigid with 4-layer flex, and 12-layer rigid has a heat sink.

Flexible Printed Circuit Boards (FPCB)

The rigid-flex board is a hybrid circuit board with a combination of flexible and rigid boards and the final board has features to be folded or continuously flexed and made in a flexed structure.

Mostly rigid-flex boards are in multilayer flexible circuit substrates connected to one or more rigid boards according to design requirements.

Flexible substrates are made in constant conditions of flex and are made in flexed curves at the time of manufacturing.

Flex layers of rigid-flex are configured in boards and pass through the rigid part of the board.

These boards have special features that rigid parts of boards can used in projects. After that flexible part can folded or bent to about components to make the connection.

Rigid Flex PCB design

The design of rigid-flex boards is somewhat complicated since their design is made in three dimensional which helps boards to fold to make the required design of devices.

The design of the board 3D provides high efficiency and can used for projects where space and weight value are important like medical devices.

The design of 3 dimensions can easily twist fold, and flexible board substrate to get the required structure for final packaging.

Rigid-flex boards are a thing as compared to other boards, so best for thin or less-weight packaging required for projects. .

Advantages Of Flexible PCB Over Rigid PCB

The use of 3D design reduces the use of larger spaces.
The overall size of boards and projects can be reduced through the elimination fo connectors and cables used for rigid boards.
The use of less solder joints provides high connection features.
The handling of the assembly process is easy as compared to flexible boards.
The assembly of these boards is an easy process.
The testing of these boards is also done easily.
It helps to increase the complication of mechanical designs and also enhances the easy optimization of board

Applications of Rigid Flex PCB

applications-of-rigid-flex-pcb.jpg (717×617)

Rigid-flex boards come with different uses such as military uses and aviation projects also part of mobile phones and used in digital cameras.

Rigid-flex board manufacturing is used for medical devices like pacemakers since handles space and provides weight-reduction features.

They are also used for consumers’ projects and devices since enhance space and weight by making reliable circuits and reducing the use of solder joints.

These boards are also used for different electrical applications such as component testing and automobiles

HDI rigid flex Board

High-dense interconnect boards come with high wiring density for unit area as compared to other boards.

Through advancements in technology, PCB boards are meeting the needs of small and high-speed devices.

HDIs come with dense wiring that makes less weight and compact boards. The use of many PCBs for projects can replaced to use of single HDI boards.

For complicated design features the best option is to use HDI and ELIC stacked copper-filled micro vias is best to use for mass production

Rigid-flex boards design uses HDI features reduces the use of connectors and uses less space in compact designs.

Hybrid flex PCB Board

Flex and rigid-flex boards provide a high value of flexibility. It can be in a flex circuit or dynamic flexible connected between 2 or more rigid boards. The main benefit is to have features to accurately fit in the circuit where there is no other option to use

There are many zones of rigid and flex materials for flex-rigid boards based on design that operates with synchronization to make board structure with easiness.

Common types of materials used for the production of rigid-flex are FR for rigid parts and Kapton material used for flexible parts.

Structures for rigid flex PCBs

Traditional rigid flex construction

(IPC-6013 type 4) Multilayer rigid and flexible boards come with 3 or more layers having plated through holes. Their features are 22L and 10L flex layers.

Asymmetrical rigid flex

In this structure, flex boards is best for external layers of rigid structure. They come with 3 or more layers plated through holes.

Multilayer rigid-flex

These designs come with buried vias for rigid part. 2 layers of micro vias are used. The creation can come with 2 rigid designs for homogeneous build. Their features are 2+n+2 HDI structure.

Faqs

How are rigid-flex PCBs made?

Flex rigid boards are made in sequence and selective layer stackup of rigid and flex boards with plated through holes for connection of layers.

What is the construction of a flex PCB?

Rigid flexible boards come with different manufacturing processes, commonly used methods are 4 rigid layers and 2 flexible. It comes with a core of adhesiveness PI that reduces the chance of breakage. Over those layers and copper layers, 2 layers of prepreg connected to the flex part of coverlay adhesive and coverlay layers.

What materials are used in rigid-flex?

The flexible part of the board is normally multilayers. Plated through holes used for strong interconnection in layers. These boards are made with a mix of rigid and flex PCB materials. These materials are core, prepreg, copper layers, laminates of flexible materials, overlay, and bond plies

What is the difference between rigid and flex PCB?

Rigid and flex boards aer made with the use of different materials. Rigid boards are made with inflexible electro-deposited copper. Flexible boards are made with the use of bendable annealed copper

What is the base material of a flex PCB?

The substrate materials is made of flexible boards PI (polyimide) film and PET (polyester) film with polymer film also used such as PEN (polyethylene phthalate), PTFE and Aramid,.

What are the disadvantages of rigid flex PCB?

These boards are complicated structures and manufacturing processes also complex that reduce the manufacturing products and increase production time affecting the deadline for creation and cost.

What is the maximum layers in flex PCB?

Feature	technical specification
Number of layers	1 – 6L

What is the difference between flexible and rigid flex PCB?

Rigid boards are best used where rigidity and structural support is needed and flex boards are used where flexible design needed and features conform to complex shapes.Read our More Engineering Blogs