Introduction: Why Care About Flex PCBs?
In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, the demand for compact, efficient, and versatile electronic devices has never
been higher.
As product designs become increasingly sophisticated, engineers are constantly challenged to find innovative solutions that
push the boundaries of what's possible. This is where flexible printed circuit boards (flex PCBs) emerge as a game-changer.
Flex PCBs offer a unique set of advantages that make them an indispensable tool in the modern electronics industry. Unlike
their rigid counterparts, flex circuits can bend, flex, and twist, allowing seamless integration into compact and complex device
designs.
This flexibility is enabled by using flexible plastic films like polyimide as the base non-conducting material between copper
layers, instead of the rigid fiberglass prepreg and core materials used in standard PCBs.
Rigid PCB Flex PCB
What Are Flex PCBs?
So what exactly are flex PCBs made of? To understand flex PCBs, let's discuss rigid PCBs and then the difference between
them and flex.
Rigid PCBs
Rigid PCBs are the most common type of printed circuit board. They are made by taking sheets of fiberglass cloth and soaking
them in an epoxy resin.
This creates a sturdy material that from here on we will call a substrate. This substrate is made of what looks like tightly
woven fibers embedded in a hardened gel-like material.
4 www.cadence.com
Rigid Flex Design Guide
