FPC connector market overall review

Author：danny / time：2019-04-21 / The number of clicks：842

Based on the current situation, there is an overall upward trend for connectors, but due to various macroeconomic factors, the rate of growth has slightly decreased. Among these connectors, the FPC connector has been widely used in office equipment and household appliances because of its small size and flexibility. It is mainly used for LCD components related to consumer electronics. With the expansion of the 3G market, the mobile phone industry is also considered a big market. The scope of application has also been extended to the industrial sector, such as instrumentation, automotive electronics, medical equipment and military equipment. Moreover, due to a growing demand, the growth rate of the industry is gradually stabilizing at around 8-10% according to market research analysis.
 
In addition, the FPC connector market is working on the development of thinner and smaller designs similar to mobile phones, PDAs, digital cameras and other types of consumer electronics. Therefore, manufacturers need to provide FPC connectors with smaller pitches, lower height and higher pin densities, since demand determines the production and direction of the product. Given their role in leading the trend towards FPC connector miniaturization, the United States, Japan and Taiwan are striving to perform better than ever. Since the 0.3mm-pitch FPC connector was introduced as early as 2004, the 0.3 mm and 0.5mm pitches are considered the current industry standards.
 
FPC connectors for raw material applications are primarily made of nylon, polyester or PPS materials that comply with high flame retardant standards for insulation purposes. Some high-end products require higher standards, so the use of liquid crystal polymer insulation that can withstand higher temperatures is preferred. In addition, tin-copper has gradually replaced the more expensive brass and beryllium-copper alloys as the main material for manufacturing contacts due to its pricing advantage. For good conductivity and reliability, contacts are usually plated with nickel and coated with gold or tin.
 
Markets also vary; for example, suppliers in Hong Kong mostly provide through-hole and surface mount FPC connectors. The main flow pitch is 0.5mm and 1mm, and the number of pins varies from 4 to 5 pcs.  The configuration is determined by the user. Due to increasing cost of raw materials and FPC connectors, many manufacturers in Hong Kong tend to choose OEM-type of projects that offer design and specifications for reducing development costs .