OrCAD X Resources

Contents Designing the Impossible: How Flex PCBs Revolutionized the Electronics Industry ........................................................................ 3 Introduction: Why Care About Flex PCBs? ............................... 4 What Are Flex PCBs? ...................................................................... 4 Rigid PCBs................................................................................. 4 Flex PCBs .................................................................................. 6 The Benefits of Flex PCBs .............................................................8 Flex PCB Materials and Challenges ............................................ 9 Materials .................................................................................... 9 Coverlay ..................................................................................... 9 Flex Substrates ..................................................................... 10 Stiffeners ................................................................................. 10 Adhesives ................................................................................ 10 Conductors ............................................................................. 10 Plating ...................................................................................... 10 Challenges ....................................................................................... 10 Limited Bending Cycles ...................................................... 10 Minimum Bend Radius: ....................................................... 11 Material Considerations ...................................................... 12 Stress and Strain on Circuitry ........................................... 12 Component Placement ....................................................... 12 Overcoming Challenges ............................................................... 12 Design for Flexibility ............................................................ 12 Material Selection ................................................................. 12 Manufacturing Considerations ......................................... 13 When Should You Use Flex Instead of Rigid? ............... 13 Applications of Flex PCBs ........................................................... 13 Wearable devices .................................................................. 13 Handheld electronics .......................................................... 15 Automotive electronics ....................................................... 16 Medical equipment ................................................................17 Aerospace and defense .......................................................17 The Future of Flex PCB Design Data ....................................... 18 Conclusion ....................................................................................... 18 Appendix (Useful Information) .................................................. 18 Design Standards for Rigid-Flex PCBs .......................... 18 Example Rigid-Flex Stack-Ups ......................................... 18 List of Terms and Materials ......................................................... 21 Additional Resources.................................................................... 21 2 www.cadence.com Rigid Flex Design Guide

• Cover