#printed circuit board

[nelc]

[wirewitchviolet]

How a Computer Works - Part 3 (Miniaturization and Standardization)

For anyone just joining in, I'm writing a series of posts explaining perhaps haphazardly all there is to know about how a computer works, from the most basic fundamental circuitry components to whatever level of higher functionality I eventually get to. As explained in the first post on this subject, I am doing this just in pure text, so that if you are inclined you can straight up print these posts out or narrate them onto some audio tape or whatever and have full access to them should every computer in the world suddenly collapse into a pile of dust or something. Part 1 mainly covered the basic mechanical principles of circuitry and how to physically construct a logic gate. Part 2 covered logic gates in detail and how to use them to create a basic working architecture for a general purpose computer. Today we're going to be talking more about what you're looking at when you crack a machine open so you can make sense of all the important fiddly bits and have maybe a starting point on how to troubleshoot things with a multimeter or something.

Before getting into it though, I do have to shake my little donation can again and remind you that I do not know how I am going to get through the winter without becoming homeless, so if this is valuable to you, I'd appreciate some help.

Boards of Bread and Printed Circuits

With the things I've explained so far, you could totally build a computer right now, but it'd be a bit messy. You can totally buy resistors, transistors, capacitors, and diodes by the bagful for basically nothing, and cheap rolls of insulated wire, but there's all these long exposed pins to cut short and soldering things in mid-air is a messy nightmare and you'd just have this big tangle of wires in a bag or something that would almost certainly short out on you. So let's look into ways to organize stuff a little.

If you start playing around with electronics on your own, one of the first things you want to hook yourself up with besides raw components and wires is a breadboard or 12. And if you're watching people explain these things with visual aids, you'll also see a lot of them, so it's good to know exactly what they are and how they work. Your standard breadboard is a brick of plastic with a bunch of little holes in it. Incidentally, the name comes from how the first ones were literally just named after the wooden cutting boards for slicing bread people recycled to make them. Inside these holes there's some pinching bits of conductive metal which connect to each other in a particular way (pretty sure you can just see the strips that connect one if you pry the bottom off), so you can just jam a thing wire or prong into a hole, have it held in place, and make a connection to every other hole its connected to on the other side.

There is a ton of standardization to all of this. The holes should always be 0.1 inches apart () and split into two big grids. Everyone I've ever seen has 63 rows, each with 5 holes labeled A-E, a shallow channel through the middle of the board, and then another 5, F-J, and we generally have numbers printed every 5 rows. Down underneath, for any given row, the set of 5 pins on each side of the channel are connected. So, holes 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E are all connected to each other, and nothing else. Holes 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I, and 1J are also connected to each other. There's no connection though between 1E and 1F, or 1A and 2A.

Most breadboards will also have a couple of "power rails" along the sides. These are just going to be labeled with a long red line and +, and a long blue or black line and -, and have holes in 2x5 blocks staggered out. With these, all 25 or 50 or whatever holes near the red + line connect with each other, and all the ones near the black line connect with each other. The gaps every 5 holes don't serve any purpose beyond looking different enough from the big grid so you hopefully don't mix it up and forget that these ones all connect down the length, and not in in little clumps across the width like everything else. The idea, for the sake of convention, is you plug a wire connected directly to the positive side of your battery or DC adapter or whatever into any red line hole, the negative side to any blue/black hole, and then tada, you can make a circuit just by plugging a wire in from red to a normal grid line, whatever bits you want span from that grid line to another, and eventually you connect the far end back anywhere on the black/blue line.

With a nice circuit board, there's also little snap-together pegs along the sides, and the power rails are just snapped on with those. So you can just kinda cut through the backing with a knife or some scissors, snap those off, connect multiple boards together without redundant power rails in the middle, and then just have these nice spare long lines of linked sockets. In the computer I'm building on these, I'm just using spare power rails for the bus. Oh and the big grooved channel down the middle also has a purpose. Bigger electronic components, like our good good friend the integrated circuit, are generally designed to be exactly wide enough (or more, but by a multiple of 0.1 inches) to straddle that groove as you plug their legs into the wires on either side, so they nicely fit into a breadboard, and there's a handy gap to slide something under and pry them off later on.

Typically though, you don't see breadboards inside a computer, or anything else. They're super handy for tinkering around and designing stuff, but for final builds, you want something more permanent. Usually, that's a printed circuit board, or PCB. This is pretty much what everyone's going to picture when they think about the guts of a computer. A big hard (usually) green board with a bunch of intricate lines, or "traces" running all over made of (usually) copper. And maybe with some metal ringed holes punched all the way through (they call those vias). These tend to look really complicated and maybe even a little magical, but they're honestly they're just pre-placed wires with a sense of style.

Most of the material of the board is insulated. The copper traces conduct real well, and manufacturers have done the math on just how close together they can be run without connecting to each other in places you don't want. The holes that go all the way through are for either plugging other bits in that tend to come with long legs you maybe want to keep intact, or just ways to run a trace through to the other side, where we often have traces on the back too to maximize our space. Most of what makes them look all cool and magical is how the traces run as close packed as possible to conserve space, and tend to only turn at 45 degree angles, which is just an artifact of how the machinery used to etch them out sued to be iffy about anything else.

So tada, you have all your wires pre-stuck to a nice sturdy board, and maybe even have labels printed right on there for where you solder all the various components to finish the thing. Oh and when you hear people talk about like, motherboards and daughterboards? The big main board you have for everything is a motherboard. Sometimes you need more than that, so you make smaller ones, and connect them up ether with some soldering or cartridge style with end-pins sliding snugly into sockets, and those we call daughterboards.

Integrated Circuits, or as they're also known, "chips"

The last thing you're likely to find if you crack open a computer, or just about any other electronic device that isn't super old or super super simple, are integrated circuits. Generally these are think black plastic bars that look like you'd maybe try to awkardly use them to spread cheese or peanutbutter on crackers in a prepacked snack or something, with rows of tiny little legs that running along either side. Kinda makes them look like little toy bugs or something. Sometimes they're square with pins along every edge, because sometimes you need a lot of pins. These are integrated circuits, or microchips, or just chips, and wow are they handy.

Sometime back in the 60s when people were really getting their heads around just how ridiculously small they could make electronic components and still have them work, we started to quite rapidly move towards a point where the big concern was no longer "can we shrink all this stuff down to a manageable size" and more "we are shrinking everything down to such an absurdly tiny size that we need to pack it all up in some kind of basically indestructible package, while still being able to interact with it."

So, yeah, we worked out a really solid standard there. I kinda wish I could find more on how it was set or what sort of plastic was used, but you take your absurdly shrunken down complex circuit for doing whatever. You run the teensiest tiniest wires you can out from it that thicken up at the ends into standard toothy prongs you can sink into a breadboard or a PCB with that standardized pin spacing, and you coat it all in this black plastic so firmly enveloping it that nothing can move around inside or get broken, hopefully.

And honestly, in my opinion, this is all TOO standardized. The only real visible difference between any two given integrated circuits is how many legs they have, and even those tend to come to some pretty standard numbers. They're always the same size shape and color, they all have the same convention of having a little indented notch on one side so you know which end is which, and they all seem to use just the worst ink in the world to print a block of numbers on the back with their manufacturer, date of assembly, a catalog number, and some other random stuff.

For real if there's any real comprehensive standard for what's printing on these, I can't for the life of me find it. All I know is, SOMEWHERE, you've got a 2 or 3 letter code for every manufacturer, a number for the chip, and a 4 digit date code with the last 2 digits of the year, and which week of that year it was. These three things can be in any order, other things can also be on there, probably with zero spacing, and usually printed in ink that wipes away like immediately or at least is only readable under really direct light, it sucks.

Once you know what a chip is though and look up the datasheet for it, you should have all sorts of handy info on what's inside, and just need to know what every leg is for. For that, you find which end has a notch in it, that's the left side, sometimes there's also a little dot in the lower left corner, and hopefully the label is printed in alignment with that. From there, the bottom left leg is pin 1, and then you count counterclockwise around the whole chip. You're basically always going to have positive and negative power pins, past that anything goes. You can cram a whole computer into a single chip, yo can have someone just put like 4 NAND gates on a chip for convenience, whatever.

OK, but how do they make them so small?

OK, so, mostly a circuit we're going to want to shrink down and put on a chip is just gonna be a big pile of logic gates, we can make our logic gates just using transistors, and we can make transistors just by chemically treating some silicon. So we just need SUPER flat sheets of treated silicon, along with some little strands of capacitive/resistive/insulating material here and there, and a few vertically oriented bits of conductive metal to pass signals up and down as we layer these together. Then we just need to etch them out, real real small and tight.

And we can do that etching at like, basically infinite resolution it turns out. It just so happens we have access to special acids that eat through the materials we need them to eat through, but that only work when they're being directly hit with fairly intense UV light. And a thing about light is when you have say, a big cut out pattern that you hold between a light and a surface, it casts a shadow on it... and the scaling of that shadow depends entirely on the distances between the light, the pattern, and the surface. So if you're super careful calibrating everything, you can etch a pattern into something at a scale where the main limiting factors become stuff like how many molecules thick things have to be to hold their shape. Seriously, they use electron microscopes to inspect builds because that's the level of tininess we have achieved.

So yeah, you etch your layers of various materials out with shadow masks and UV acid, you stack them up, you somehow align microscopic pins to hold them together and then you coat the whole mess in plastic forever. Tada. Anything you want in a little chip.

ROMs, maybe with various letters in front

So there's a bunch of standard generally useful things people put into ICs, but also with a computer you generally want some real bespoke stored values with a lookup table where you'll keep, say, a program to be run by feeding whatever's inside out to the bus line by line. For that we use a chip we call Read Only Memory, or ROM. Nothing super special there, just... hard wire in the values you need when you manufacture it. Manufacturing these chips though is kind of a lot, with the exacting calibrations and the acid and the clean rooms and all. Can't we have some sort of Programmable ROM? Well sure, just like build it so that all the values are 1, and build a special little thing that feeds more voltage through than it can handle and physically destroy the fuse for everything you don't want to be a 1.

OK that's still kind of a serious commitment. What if I want to reuse this later? Oh, so you want some sort of Erasable PROM? OK someone came up with a funky setting where you overload and blow out the fuses but then if you expose the guts of the chip to direct UV light through this little window, everything should reform back to 1. Just like, throw a sticker on there when you don't want to erase it. Well great, but can we maybe not have me desolder it and take it out to put under a lamp? Oh la de da! You need Electronically Erasable PROMs? EEPROMs? I guess we can make THAT work, somehow. They're still gonna be slow to write to though, can't have anything. I mean, not unless we invented like, flash memory. Which somehow does all this at speeds where you can use it for long term storage without it being a pain. So that's just kinda the thing we have now. Sorry I don't quite get the principles behind it enough to summarize. Something about floating components and needing less voltage or whatever. Apparently you sacrifice some read speed next to older options but hey, usable rewritable long term storage you just plug in, no jumping through extra hoops.

So OK. I think that's everything I can explain without biting the bullet and explaining ALUs and such. Well, there's keyboards (they're just buttons connecting input lines), monitors (these days, LEDs wired up in big grids), and mice (there's spokes in wheels that click X times or cameras checking the offset values of dust on your desk or whatnot).

Maybe throw me some money before we move on ?

CONTINUED IN PART 4

[67i203]

[czartedition]

My store is now officially OPEN on Ko-fi! 🎉🐺

🎨 https://ko-fi.com/czgoldedition/shop ☕️ You can also read more about it here in this public Ko-fi blog post. This initial "drop" of goodies involves almost 50 listings and editing 2-4 product photos per each, researching shipping, acquiring packaging, and getting everything organized and inventoried was quite the endeavor. Go glad to finally have it up there!

[jcubetech]

J-Cube Technologies Inc.

J-Cube Technologies Inc. is an organization that specializes in the production of printed circuit boards (PCBs).

Our company is based in Montreal, Canada, and has been active in the industry for over a decade. Through our success in Asian infrastructure development and the expansion of our engineering and technical manufacturing expertise, we have grown to be a world-class provider of comprehensive and reliable electronic solutions.

[commodorez]

A spare PCB given to me at VCF Midwest years ago, full of (hopefully) useful switches.

[circuitwala]

The Benefits of Ordering Printed Circuit Boards Online: A Guide to Choosing the Right PCB Manufacturer

In today's rapidly advancing technological landscape, printed circuit boards (PCBs) play a crucial role in various electronic devices, from smartphones to industrial machinery. As demand for these essential components grows, businesses and hobbyists alike seek efficient and cost-effective solutions for obtaining high-quality PCBs. One of the most convenient methods is to order printed circuit boards online. In this article, we will explore the advantages of ordering PCBs online and provide insights into selecting a reputable PCB manufacturer.

Why Order Printed Circuit Boards Online?

Ordering printed circuit boards online offers several benefits, making it an attractive option for many businesses and individuals:

Convenience: The ability to order PCBs from the comfort of your home or office eliminates the need for in-person visits to manufacturers or suppliers. This convenience saves time and effort, allowing you to focus on your projects or business operations.

Wide Range of Options: Online PCB manufacturers offer a variety of options in terms of materials, layer counts, finishes, and more. This flexibility allows you to customize your PCBs according to your specific requirements and budget.

Cost-Effectiveness: Many online PCB manufacturers provide competitive pricing, especially for bulk orders. Additionally, you can easily compare prices and services from different providers, ensuring you get the best value for your money.

Quick Turnaround Times: Online ordering often comes with expedited production and shipping options, allowing you to receive your PCBs faster. This is particularly beneficial for projects with tight deadlines or when you need quick prototypes.

Access to Advanced Technologies: Many online PCB manufacturers offer advanced technologies such as high-frequency PCBs, flexible PCBs, and more. This access to cutting-edge technology ensures your designs are compatible with the latest industry standards.

Choosing the Right PCB Manufacturer

Selecting the right PCB manufacturer is crucial to ensuring the quality and reliability of your printed circuit boards. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing a PCB manufacturer:

Experience and Reputation: Look for a manufacturer with a solid track record and positive reviews from previous customers. Experienced manufacturers are more likely to produce high-quality PCBs and provide reliable service.

Quality Assurance: Ensure the manufacturer follows strict quality control measures, such as ISO certification and regular testing. High-quality PCBs are essential for the proper functioning and longevity of your electronic devices.

Customer Support: Good customer support is vital, especially if you encounter issues during the ordering process or with the final product. Choose a manufacturer that offers responsive and helpful customer service.

Manufacturing Capabilities: Check the manufacturer’s capabilities, including the types of PCBs they can produce, their layer count capacity, and the materials they use. Make sure they can meet your specific design requirements.

Lead Times and Shipping: Consider the manufacturer’s production lead times and shipping options. Quick turnaround times are crucial for meeting project deadlines, so choose a manufacturer that can deliver within your required timeframe.

Pricing and Payment Terms: While cost is an important factor, it should not be the sole consideration. Ensure the manufacturer offers transparent pricing and flexible payment terms that suit your budget.

Conclusion

Ordering printed circuit boards online is a convenient and cost-effective way to obtain high-quality PCBs for your projects. By choosing a reputable PCB manufacturer, you can ensure the reliability and performance of your electronic devices. Whether you are a business looking to streamline your supply chain or a hobbyist working on a personal project, ordering PCBs online provides a seamless and efficient solution.

For those ready to place a printed circuit board order online, consider the factors outlined above to select the right PCB manufacturer for your needs. With the right partner, you can bring your electronic designs to life with precision and quality.

[pcb-manufacturers-blog]

Printed Circuit Board (PCB): The Backbone of Modern Electronics

A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) is an essential component in nearly all electronic devices. These boards are designed to mechanically support and electrically connect various electronic components using conductive pathways. The significance of PCBs in today’s technological landscape cannot be overstated, as they form the foundation upon which most modern electronics are built. Whether it's a smartphone, computer, or even complex industrial equipment, the PCB plays a crucial role in their functionality.

Structure and Components of a PCB

At its core, a PCB is made up of a non-conductive substrate material, typically fiberglass or composite epoxy, with conductive copper traces embedded on it. These traces form electrical circuits that allow components such as resistors, capacitors, transistors, and integrated circuits to communicate and work together. The components are mounted onto the board through a process called soldering, where a metallic substance binds them to the copper pads, ensuring strong electrical connections.

There are several layers in a typical PCB:

1. Substrate Layer: The base material, often fiberglass, provides rigidity and insulation.

2. Copper Layer: A thin copper foil is laminated onto the substrate, forming the conductive pathways.

3. Solder Mask Layer: This is a protective layer that covers the copper traces, preventing short circuits and oxidation.

4. Silkscreen Layer: Used for printing labels and markings, this layer helps technicians and engineers identify components on the board.

PCBs can range from simple single-layer boards to more complex multi-layer boards. In advanced applications, multi-layer boards are used, where multiple copper layers are sandwiched together with insulating layers between them. This allows for higher component density and more complex circuitry in a compact form factor.

Types of Printed Circuit Boards

PCBs come in several different types based on the complexity of the design and the needs of the application:

1. Single-Sided PCB: The simplest form, with components and copper traces on one side of the substrate.

2. Double-Sided PCB: These boards have components and copper traces on both sides of the substrate, offering more flexibility for routing electrical connections.

3. Multi-Layer PCB: As the name suggests, these boards have multiple layers of copper traces, making them ideal for complex and high-performance applications.

4. Rigid PCB: These are made from solid, inflexible materials, commonly used in devices where the board must maintain a specific shape.

5. Flexible PCB: These boards are made from flexible materials and can bend, fold, or twist. They are often used in compact devices where space is limited.

6. Rigid-Flex PCB: A hybrid of rigid and flexible PCBs, these are used in complex devices that require both flexibility and stability in specific areas.

Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing of a PCB involves several precise steps to ensure quality and reliability:

1. Design: The process begins with creating a design using PCB design software. This includes defining the layout, trace routing, and component placement.

2. Printing the Design: Once the design is finalized, it is printed onto the copper-clad substrate using a photomask or a direct laser printing method.

3. Etching: Any excess copper is removed from the board, leaving only the desired copper traces.

4. Drilling and Plating: Holes are drilled where components will be placed, and conductive materials are plated inside these holes to establish connections between layers in multi-layer boards.

5. Solder Mask Application: A solder mask is applied to protect the copper traces and prevent short circuits.

6. Silkscreen Printing: Component labels and identification markers are printed onto the board.

7. Testing and Quality Control: The finished PCB undergoes rigorous testing to ensure there are no defects in the circuitry or connections.

Applications of PCBs

PCBs are found in a vast array of electronic devices and systems. Some of the key application areas include:

Consumer Electronics: Smartphones, tablets, computers, and home appliances rely heavily on PCBs for their operation.

Automotive Industry: Modern vehicles contain numerous electronic systems, from engine control units to infotainment systems, all powered by PCBs.

 Medical Devices: Precision medical equipment like diagnostic machines and wearable health devices depend on reliable PCBs for accurate functionality.

Telecommunications: Communication devices, including routers, switches, and mobile towers, are equipped with PCBs that handle data processing and signal transmission.

Aerospace and Defense: In high-stakes industries like aerospace and defense, robust PCBs are required for mission-critical systems, including avionics and radar equipment.

Future Trends in PCB Technology

As technology continues to evolve, so too does the development of PCBs. Advances in materials science, miniaturization, and automation are paving the way for even smaller and more powerful PCBs. Innovations such as flexible hybrid electronics (FHE), 3D-printed circuits, and high-speed PCB designs are expected to revolutionize industries by enabling more compact, lightweight, and efficient electronic devices.

Moreover, with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G technology, the demand for high-performance PCBs capable of handling greater data transmission speeds and power efficiency is surging. This trend will likely lead to more widespread use of multi-layer and flexible PCBs in upcoming technological advancements.

Conclusion

The printed circuit board is undeniably one of the most vital components in modern electronics. Its evolution has allowed for remarkable advancements in technology, from the devices we use daily to the complex systems that run industries. As innovations in materials and design continue, PCBs will remain at the forefront of the ever-expanding world of electronics, enabling new possibilities and driving the next wave of technological breakthroughs.

[mfgepsilonelectronic]

Find the best PCB manufacturing companies in Gujarat

Gujarat has also become the most suitable location for the manufacturing of PCBs owing to its rapid industrial development and utmost infrastructural facilities. The state has a solid industrial nature, and the government encourages further development by providing stimulus for electronics and PCB manufacturing. This makes it easy for the PCB manufacturing companies in Gujarat to find a suitable environment to operate from. These PCB manufacturing companies have highly developed technologically enabled capabilities and expertise in Gujarat.

Top PCB Manufacturing Companies in Gujarat

Epsilon Electronics

Epsilon Electronics is one of the leading PCB Manufacturing companies in Gujarat, operating in the fields of embedded systems and product engineering in India. From embedded software development services to industrial products and projects development, PCB manufacturing, and 3D design printing, Epsilon Electronics can be categorized as a one-stop-shop. The company has earned a reputation for quickly translating ideas into practicable solutions, which has led businesses to consider it as their preferred provider as PCB manufacturing companies in Gujarat.

The strengths that help Epsilon Electronics stand out from the other competitors are its sophistication in its tools and people to do the job. Their skills in quickly translating concepts into deliverables and their excellent customer relations make them a valued supplier in the PCB manufacturing sector. For specific requirements or for faster deliveries, Epsilon Electronics has the experience and capability that clients require when dealing with this company.

SB Electronics

SB Electronics is one of the pioneer organizations in PCB manufacturing companies in Gujarat having experience in this sector more than 25 years. The company deals in manufacturing multi-layer PCBs such as Single Side, Double Side P. T. H. (through-hole plating) and Double Side NON- PTH PCBs using high-end materials such as FR2, FR4, CEM. SB Electronics has always been committed to providing quality and innovative printed circuit boards making it a reliable supplier to diverse industries.

Using the information provided above, you can make a list of the best companies for pcb manufacturing in Gujarat for your next electronic project. For more details or to discuss your specific case, please do not hesitate to contact Epsilon Electronics. We are here to assist you in achieving your goal of having the finest PCB solutions in the industry. Click on the following link to visit our website now.

[usapcbpowermarket]

In the printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing industry, quality control must be maintained to an extreme. First Article Inspection (FAI) ensures that the product quality is at its maximum before going for mass production. Therefore, businesses conduct a first-article inspection to meet customer expectations and avoid any significant non-conformity costs. If you are in the PCB manufacturing industry, knowing the advantages of FAI is essential to making sure your project succeeds.

[caroffcommunications]

Understanding PCB Assembly

From prototyping to production, the complex process of building a printed circuit board (PCB), is crucial for ensuring functionality and reliability. Prototyping tests the PCB's functionality and identifies design issues, allowing engineers to refine and enhance the design. Advantages of thorough PCB assembly include early problem detection, comprehensive functional testing, cost efficiency, and the ability to make necessary design adjustments. Choose the right PCB assembly service to ensure successful, market ready products.

[pcbcircuit]

Choosing the Right Printed Circuit Board Design Software for Your Business

In the world of electronics, Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design is a critical step in the development process. The right PCB design software can streamline your workflow, improve accuracy, and ultimately contribute to the success of your projects .

[sqpcbchina]

PCB Manufacturing

PCB manufacturing is a precision process involving designing, etching, and assembling printed circuit boards. We specialize in producing high-quality PCBs tailored to your specifications. Our advanced technology and rigorous quality control ensure reliability and performance. Trust us for efficient and cost-effective PCB manufacturing solutions to meet your electronic needs.

Visit Our Site: https://sqpcb.com/products/pcb-manufacture

[czartedition]

Critters and comrades, I come bearing exciting news:

✨ The pre-launch page for the campaign to produce my Short Circuit designs as enamel pins is now LIVE! ✨

This has been a long time coming, so if you enjoy these designs and would like to see them produced in pin form, please give the campaign a follow. Pass it around and ask friends to do the same! Any and all eyeballs will boost its chance of success immensely.

More public teasers are coming soon, but you can expect funding goals for at least 12 Printed Circuit Board inspired designs: 4 green (earth), 4 orange (fire), and 4 blue (water). Depending on the level of interest before and during the campaign...maybe more!

You'll also note the little wolf pup robot in the banner - that's Byte, Short Circuit's mascot! She's a feisty lil guy that corresponds to my "Byte Me" snarling wolf board design. Additional robot companions are in the works for each set of boards, and there will be stickers and other goodies featuring each, also depending on the campaign's success -- I'll introduce each of them everywhere that I upload my artwork soon!

Thanks for looking and considering. As a very small artist, every pair of eyeballs means the world, really. <3

[perlina-hitechcircuits]

What is Rigid-Flex Circuit Board？

Rigid-flex PCB board, it is a circuit board that combines flexible and rigid circuit board technology in the application. Most rigid-flex boards are composed of multiple layers of flexible circuit boards, which are attached to one or more rigid boards from the outside and/or from the inside, depending on the design of the application. The flexible substrate is designed to be in a constant deflection state, and is usually formed as a deflection curve during rigid flex pcb manufacturing or assembly.

The Production Process of Rigid-Flex PCB

Rigid flex PCB production is based on below steps: the first step is to process the rigid outer cover layer. The electroplating graphic that needs to be pressed in the outer layer, and then through the CNC milling machine, punching or laser method, routing out or routing the half of depth of the flexible part which is located in rigid layer. Flex board and the rigid outer cover are boned by adhesive sheet. The adhesive sheet has been pre-opened in the flexible part. 

During the lamination process, if the rigid outer layer uses routing structure, a suitable pressure filling board should be prepared for the flex part. Using a vacuum pressing machine to obtain better press quality, and meanwhile with some auxiliary coating materials, such as PE, etc., so that the pressing process can provide a uniform pressure on the entire board, and make the low -flowing sticky sheet is fully flowing and filling the gap, especially for complex structures. Before adhesion or lamination, appropriate baking should be done as needed to remove moisture.

After lamination, the rigid- flex PCB can use a through hole treatment process which is similar to a multi-layer rigid board, the different part is remove drilling dirt. The method of removing drilling dirt depends on what materials used. Like the rigid board, drilling the hole after fully baking, and then use the plasma etching process to remove the residue in the hole wall. Before the plasma is treated, bake is also needed to remove water vapor. Caval polyesterness is generally recommended to not exceed 13um. The pore -plating process of conventional rigid board can be used, but the specific process parameters of the electroplating should be determined according to the reliability test data of the pores.

The Rigid-Flex manufacturing phase is also more complex and time-consuming than rigid board fabrication. All the flexible components of the Rigid-Flex assembly have completely different handling, etching, and soldering processes than rigid FR4 boards.

Benefits of Rigid Flex PCB

·Space requirements can be minimized by applying 3D

·By removing the need for connectors and cables between the individual rigid parts the board size and overall system weight can be reduced.

·By maximizing space, there is often a lower count in parts.

·Less solder joints assure higher connection reliability.

·Handling during assembly is easier in comparison with flexible boards.

·Simplified PCB assembly processes.

·Integrated ZIF contacts provide simple modular interfaces to the system environment.

·Test conditions are simplified. A complete test prior to installation becomes possible.

·Logistical and assembly costs are significantly reduced with flex-rigid boards.

·It is possible to increase the complexity of mechanical designs, which also improves the degree of freedom for optimized housing solutions.

Rigid Flex PCB Fabrication Applications

Rigid flexible PCBs offer a wide array of applications, ranging from military weaponry and aerospace systems to cell phones and digital cameras. Increasingly, rigid flex board fabrication has been used in medical devices such as pacemakers for their space and weight reduction capabilities. The same advantages for rigid flex PCB usage can be applied to military weaponry and weapon control systems

In consumer products, rigid flex doesn’t just maximize space and weight but greatly improves reliability, eliminating many needs for solder joints and delicate, fragile wiring that are prone to connection issues. These are just some examples, but rigid flex PCBs can be used to benefit nearly all advanced electrical applications including testing equipment, tools and automobiles.

Available structures for rigid flex PCB

There are numerous, different structures available. The more common ones are defined below:

Traditional rigid flex construction (IPC-6013 type 4) Multilayer rigid and flexible circuit combination containing three or more layers with plated through holes.

Asymmetrical rigid flex construction, where the FPC is situated on the outer layer of the rigid construction. Containing three or more layers with plated through holes.

Multilayer rigid flex construction with buried / blind via (microvia) as part of the rigid construction. 2 layers of microvia are achievable. Construction may also include two rigid structures as part of a homogeneous build.

The Advantages of Rigid-Flex PCB

One of the key features of rigid-flex PCB is the thin profile and changeable shape, making it an ideal solution for ultra -thin and ultra -light packaging. Although the rigid flex PCB may be more expensive in design and manufacturing, they do have many advantages and can solve many problems in traditional hardboard technology.

1. Small Size and Flexible Shape

The rigid- flex PCB is easier to install more components in smaller space, because they can change the shape according to a specific contour. This technology will reduce the size and weight of the final product and the overall system cost. At the same time, the compact shape of rigid flex PCB makes it the best choice for fine lines and high -density circuits in HDI technology.

2. Customized for Different Applications

Rigid-flex PCB has various packages, which can be customized for the application of many industries such as aerospace, military, medical equipment and consumer electronics. They can customize the size and shape to adapt to the shell design and 3D design, which provides designers with more possibilities to meet different requirements in specific applications.

3. Better Mechanical Stability

The stability of the rigid board and the flexibility of the flexible board form the stable structure of the entire packaging, while retaining the reliability and flexibility required for small space installation.

4. Good Performance in Harsh Environments

Rigid-flex PCB has high resistance and high vibration capacity, so they can work normally in a high-stress environment. There are fewer cables and connectors used in rigid-flexible PCB, which also reduces security risks and maintenance in future use.

5. Easy to Manufacture and Test

The rigid-flex PCB requires a small number of inter connect and related components/parts. It helps simplify the assembly operation, making rigid-flex PCB easier to assemble and test. Rigid-flex PCB is very suitable for PCB prototypes.

In addition to the above advantages, other common advantages of rigid-flex PCB also include high circuit density, good heat dissipation and good chemical resistance. In a word, rigid-flex PCB combines all the advantages of rigid PCB and flex PCB, and at the same time make up for the shortcomings. This PCB is the best solution to design reliable and powerful circuits for smart wearable devices and other industries.