The difference between FFC and FPC Connectors (II)

This article is a continuation after the introduction of the difference between FFC and FPC connectors.

FFC Connector: The full name of FFC Connector is Flexible Flat Cable, which is a flexible cable connector. It is a data cable made of very thin flat tinned copper wire and PET insulation material through a high precision automated assembly line. It is highly flexible, bendable, foldable, and compact. It is easy to connect and disassemble, with a capability to effectively reduce electromagnetic shielding (EMI).

 

The manufacturing process of FFC Connectors

The production of FFC Connectors has higher requirements in terms of technical level of an operator. A high-level operator produces superior FFC cables. Firstly, calendar tinning is utilized to cut tinned copper wire used for making a conductor. The thickness and fineness of a copper wire should be controlled according to specific order requirements. After the conductor is made, it is placed onto the wire rack of an FFC equipment (Spool Die) for testing of semi-finished products. The excellent conductor quality of FFC cables (Vision test) and FFC flexible cables follow strict procedures that guarantee efficiency and superiority.

 

The application fields of FFC Connectors

Currently, FFC Connectors are widely used in computers and related components, printer heads and motherboards, scanners, photocopiers, plotters, LCD appliances, fax machines, audio, various DVD players and other products as well as board connection and signal transmission. Basically, FFC Connectors are used in modern equipment and electrical products.

 

FFC Connectors are available in a variety of wire spacings and numbers to effectively reduce the size and weight of electronic products, thereby facilitating connection between devices to further reduce equipment production costs and improve work efficiency. They are widely used in motherboards and peripherals, connection between moving components, PCB board-to-board connection, data transmission cable for miniaturized electrical equipment, etc.

 

The main difference between FPC Connector and FPC connector

 

In terms of structural design, their circuits are configured differently.

1. An FPC Connector circuit is made using a chemical etching method that facilitates the processing of FCCLs (flexible copper-clad foils) into connectors of flexible circuit boards with different circuit pattern and single-sided, double-sided or multi-layer mechanism.

 

2. A relatively simple FFC Connector-based finished product, is made of flat copper foil wrapped with two upper and lower layers of foil insulation, with a thickness greater than that of an FPC.

 

In terms of price, FPC connectors have a greater advantage. If higher demand for product volume, density, etc., is disregarded, enterprises become more inclined to use FFC- related products, thereby reducing production costs and improving product competitiveness.