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What Every Product Designer Should Know About Rigid-Flex Printed Circuit Boards

23 March 2016 by Linda Holmes

One of the most exciting stages of product development is when you're able to finally bring your vision to life. Depending on what you're trying to produce, you might find that standard circuit boards just don't cut it. If you're looking for something that will work well in any application, consider investing in rigid-flex boards instead. Here's a look at what you need to know about these circuit boards and what they can do for your product development.

An Overview of Rigid-Flex Boards

A rigid-flex board combines the sturdy rigidity of a standard circuit board with flexible circuitry that allows you to use it even in the most precise applications. The boards are usually crafted with multiple layers of a flexible material coating a traditional rigid board.

Reasons to Invest in Rigid-Flex Boards

There are many reasons why you might want to consider rigid-flex boards for your product application. Understanding these common reasons may help you to decide if they are right for you.

Rigid-Flex boards are versatile. They can be used in most any type of design or shape. Since these boards are printed, you'll have the benefit of the precise printed board with some flexibility in the surface that makes it easier to fit the board into whatever product design you're working with.

Rigid-Flex boards are strong. Since these boards are made up of many different layers, those layers combine to build upon the initial stability and strength of the base rigid board. In addition, the material used adds a bit of flexibility to that board, reducing the risk of cracking or breakage in a high-pressure application.

Rigid-Flex Boards are Durable. The combination of stability and flexibility contributes to the long lifespan of these boards. You won't have to worry about connections coming loose or the board losing contact inside the equipment because the rigid-flex design has enough flexibility to retain its connection while it shifts in response to movement.

Places Where You Can Use Rigid-Flex Boards

Rigid-flex boards are great for a lot of applications. Not only can you find them in some commercial products, but you'll also find them in industrial machines, manufacturing equipment, some aircraft and even small consumer electronics. No matter what you're trying to create, there's a good chance you can fit a rigid-flex board into the design.

Understanding the fundamentals of rigid-flex boards is the first step in creating the design you've been picturing all this time. No matter how compact or unusual the design may be, these circuit boards are likely to fit well.

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