The future development of FPC Connectors

Author：Danny / time：2018-08-02 / The number of clicks：534

 FPC connectors are key components in flexible printed circuit boards. They have gradually integrated into all aspects of everyday life, gaining social popularity. According to a survey conducted by a professional organization in 2011, the output value of the global flexible printed circuit board market reached USD $9 billion, and FPC connectors account for a huge portion. By 2016, the output value of the global flexible printed circuit board market is expected to exceed USD $13 billion with an average annual growth rate of up to 7%. It is one of the fastest growing sub-industries in major markets.
FPC connectors are known as “Flexible Printed Circuit board”. In other words, they are PCBs, made of flexible (bendable and foldable) materials. FPC connectors are preferred by many manufacturers for their lightweight, high-density and petite characteristics; they are also widely used in the manufacture of different electronic products such as mobile phones and LCD screens. With the current trend of microminiaturization, FPC connectors are projected to gain wider application in other fields, given their increased practicability and convenience.
The most common FPC connectors are the 0.3mm pitch and 0.5mm pitch models. Some manufacturers have already developed 0.2mm pitch connectors, which have been introduced in the market. It is predicted that the later development of FPC connectors will follow that of the market, with strong focus on light, thin and small designs. Improvements will be made primarily on the spacing and height between pins, with strong focus on the former. Regions such as Europe, America and Japan are at the forefront of the research and development of FPC connectors.
There has been an increasing market demand for  FPC connectors mainly because of the popularity of consumer electronic goods such as smartphones, tablets, e-readers and PDAs in recent years, resulting in a significant rise in market demand for flexible printed circuit boards. At the same time, there is a greater level of application for flexible printed circuit boards in traditional fields such as aviation, aerospace, automobile and medical industries, leading to a steady increase in market share of FPC connectors. Due to high demand for lighter, thinner, more precise and smaller products used in daily life, component manufacturers are perfecting and improving their products, increasing sensitivity, and reducing size to make products adaptable for implementation in more industries, in order to help improve quality of life.
 Having high density, lightweight and small in size, FPC connectors are developed based on these characteristics. As a result, they have the flexibility to improve in the future so as to adapt well to development trends of mainstream products. Also, FPC connectors are highly bendable to be able to connect between different moving components, enhancing user experience. Apart from the microminiaturization of sizes and quality, the stability of connectors is also a major factor in product development. FPC connectors are expected to have good stability and reliability in terms of design, production and usage, thereby reducing quality issues and other usage problems.
In general, the FPC connector market has great potential for growth and development even amid economic depression. It is believed that standardized and customized connectors will play a key role in the connector market in the future.