Advances in Flexible Printed Circuit Technology

A flexible printed circuit (FPC connector) is a type of connection used for electronic equipment. It is composed of a thin polymer film with conductive circuit patterns and a thin polymer coating that protects the conductor circuit.

 

Since the 1950s, this technology has been used to interconnect electronic devices. Today, it is one of the most preferred interconnection technologies for advanced electronic products.

 

To meet the demand for more reliable FPC interconnections, technological advances have been made. Here are a few of them:

 

A heat sink allows for effective thermal management. It is laminated into a flexible printed circuit to dissipate heat away from the LEDs and other such sensitive components.

 

Technological advances have paved the way for the development of through holes, surface mount capabilities, conformal coating, and electrostatic protective packaging.

 

This property allows for control of the cable’s physical dimensions and material. With controlled impedance, it is possible to minimize electrical reflections, thus ensuring reliable transition between the track and the interconnections. To achieve controlled impedance, the FPC must be uniform in thickness and electrical properties.

 

Normally used with LEDs, LCD displays, and dome switches mounted on the circuits, a graphic overlay provides an underlying circuit. They are typically made of polyester, acrylic, or polycarbonate material.

 

Shielding provides protection to the FPC connector, effectively reducing noise and controls signal line impedance. It may come as either patterned or solid, and is applied when an application has limits in electrostatic interference.

 

Efficient, cost-effective, and durable, this technology eliminates a connector set between the hardboard and the FPC.

 

Heaters are thin, bendable components that provide thermal balance to your device.

 

A complex wire assembly allows for the development of a connector that combines a rigid circuit and a flexible printed circuit, which is considered a more economical design.

 

This technology provides additional support to sensitive areas, such as the component assembly area or the area underneath where traces are exposed and are plugged in for connection. When applied to FCPs, stiffeners make the connection more durable, reliable, and efficient.

Designed to make the circuit stronger and more durable to withstand flexures, sculpted circuitry adds bare metal connectors to the solder joint formation. While the copper is intended to be thin at the most flexible area of the connection, and thickest at the interconnection point, a sculpted circuitry provides a better alternative to crimp pins in providing durability to the connection.

 

This technology is used where the circuit needs to be kept securely in a specific location within the final product. To use the adhesive, peel away the release liner to allow the assembler to press the circuit in place and keep it secure.

 

Panelization helps organize the circuits in place. A stiffener is applied to the edges of multiple circuits to allow easy processing through the “pick and place” and wave soldering process.

 

Versatile and complex, FPC connector continue to improve in aesthetics, design, and functionality. From its first use in the 1950s until today, a lot of technological advancements have already been made to the flexible printed circuit, rendering it to become more durable and more capable of a wide array of applications. Today, it is being used in medical, industrial, automotive, telecommunications, and commercial applications, to name a few.

 

Because the trend in technology has been to design things that are smaller, faster, and more cost-efficient, it is not wonder that the flexible printer circuit is easily one of the most important and preferred types of connectors today. This trend will only continue as the modern world moves forward to embrace globalization.