The role of PCB in the manufacturing industry is profound. PCB, which is the abbreviated form for Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) helps in bolstering the high-performance of electrical equipment. Instead of having multiple wires that disorient the finishing of electronic equipment, using PCB makes it possible to have all the electrical components in one place.
The popularity of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) also extends to the different types it has. Currently, there are three (3) types of PCB and each of them is working amazingly well.
These three types of PCBs are the Rigid PCB, the Flexible (Flex) PCB, and the Rigid-Flex PCB.
For good reasons, the Flexible (Flex) PCB has been dominating the industry. Because of the flexibility, the lightweight, and the unique way of incorporating it into the Printed Circuit Boards, it is now the favourite of many electronic brands.
It should be noted that the Flexible (Flex) PCB, like many other PCB types, functions as the “spinal cord of electrical devices.” This means that it helps to unify the motherboard and all other boards and components.
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Flex PCB has a different model when it comes to the designing and the manufacturing of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).
The way it functions is that it allows the circuitry to be designed in a way that it fits into the electronic product in view.
Besides, the designing and the production of the Flex PCB is characterized by a distinct patterning of the printed circuitry. This, in turn, works alongside the component arrangements for an all-around PCB design.
Above all, a malleable base material is a primary material that is used to facilitate the designing and the manufacturing of the Flex Printed Circuit Board (PCB).
Flex PCB vs. Other PCBs
Understandably, you are wondering about what makes Flex PCB better than the other types of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs).
First, Flex PCB is lightweight, which is the main reason why it is considered flexible. This makes the design easier.
Second, the method of designing the Flex PCB differs from those of the other types of PCBs. In this case, Flex PCB can be fitted or installed on the board by placing/fitting it into the desired position on the board. This is better than the traditional building of the electronic product to fit into the Printed Circuit Board (PCB).
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A PCB manufacturer that specializes in the production of the Rigid PCB may not be very good at the Flex PCB design. Hence, there is always a need to go directly to the Flex PCB manufacturer because that is where you have the assurances of getting the best of service.
With that in mind, we will look at some of the important criteria that will help you in selecting the best Flex PCB manufacturer.
The first consideration in choosing a Flex PCB manufacturer is the equipment. Because the manufacturer wouldn’t make use of the bare hands for the designing and the production of the Flex PCB, you need to check if the equipment and tools are ready.
You must arm yourself with information on the tools and equipment that are needed in the production phases of the Flex PCB. With that in mind, you can easily spot the ones that are missing.
Now, some of the equipment and tools you should be looking for are:
Aside from considering those tools (and many others in that category), you also need to look at how the Flex PCB manufacturer adapts to the latest technology. This makes it possible for the Flex PCB project to be completed in good time and with the use of the latest innovations in the PCB industry.
For some reasons, you will need to the designing and the production of Flex PCB “to go your own way.” You want your instructions to be carried out to the letter.
You must look at the possibility of getting on-demand Flex PCB production services from the manufacturer. The point is that manufacturer will be able to follow the guidelines you gave to pattern the Flex PCB to different shapes and sizes.
Also, the on-demand production of Flex PCB makes a whole lot of impact when it comes to the volume. You can choose to have a few designed and increase it later in the future.
In as much as Flexible (Flex) PCB, Rigid PCB, and Rigid-Flex PCB are the major type of PCBs, they are not the only ones.
When it comes to the Flex PCB, you have many options to choose from. Ideally, you have variants to the Flex PCB. Some of them are:
Because there are many variants, you want to see if the Flex PCB manufacturer can supply the components. If the manufacturer you intend to patronize can’t do that, it is an indication that you should look elsewhere.
A Flex PCB manufacturer that means business should be in a position to supply the different components of the varied types of Flex PCB.
Besides, the manufacturer should have a good working relationship with the components wholesalers because that guarantees faster sourcing at affordable costs.
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Expertise or mastery of something has always been one of the important factors that can swing a job to a Flex PCB manufacturer.
You don’t want to work with a manufacturer that has a generic experience, i.e. – experienced in general Flex PCB manufacturing.
Instead, you want to go with a Flex PCB manufacturer that has industry experience, in this case, with the designing and manufacturing of the Flex PCB.
As an addition, it will be ideal if you can ask the Flex PCB manufacturer if it has considerable experience working with other companies or brands that are related to your industry.
There is a correlation with the certification of a Flex PCB manufacturer with the success of your Flex PCB project.
If the manufacturer has the backing of the industry certifications and standards, it interprets that it can offer the best quality service when it comes to Flex PCB.
To help you further, here are some of the certifications and standards you should be expecting of the Flex PCB manufacturer:
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This is one of the many conformance certifications that the Flex PCB manufacturer ought to have.
It means that the Flex PCB that is manufactured by the manufacturer is fire-resistant.
If this certification is not presented to you by the manufacturer, it will be in your best interest to discontinue the project.
How qualitative is the Flex PCB? Aside from the use of the relevant equipment and tools for production, the manufacturer should also provide you with the best quality.
It might interest you to know that the quality of the Flex PCB cuts across many lines. Some of the key considerations of the quality are:
If you are not fully convinced with the proclaimed quality of the Flex PCB, you want to use the E-Test to inspect and find out the actual quality.
You need to consider if the Flex PCB can offer you a model to test. Considering that Flex PCB (and indeed PCB in general) is delicate, you don’t want to have technical faults coming up later to usurp the performance of the entire board.
Hence, you need to ensure that the Flex PCB manufacturer can provide a model or prototype before the completion of the project. You will then check to see if there parts that need to be adjusted or altered for better efficiency.
The Flex PCB manufacturer you want to contact ought to provide Flex PCB testing services.
This is important because it helps to point out the faults on the circuit board.
You don’t want to break a bank to get your Flex PCB done. You also want the best quality at pocket-friendly costs.
To that end, it is advised that you go for a Flex PCB manufacturer that can give you the best quality at affordable rates.
The general rule is that a Flex PCB manufacturer that has good customer support tends to treat the customers better.
The communication that exists between the customer support department of the Flex PCB manufacturer is a direct revelation of how your Flex PCB projects will be treated.
If you are nicely treated by the customer support, you can be confident that your Flex PCB projects are in the best hands.
Wrapping Up
There is no denying that selecting a Flex PCB manufacturer in the “crowded PCB industry” can be stressful.
We have now made things a lot easier for you by discussing (above) the ten (10) factors that will lead you to the best Flex PCB manufacturer.
How do you select your Flex PCB manufacturer?
A lack of standards means designers need to rely on vendor datasheets and enable out-of-the-box thinking.
The additive manufacturing electronics (AME) industry is rapidly gaining momentum, with the market size projected to reach billions in the coming years as engineers and designers increasingly adopt this cutting-edge technology. Despite the growing use of technology, educational resources and design guidance for AME remain scarce, leaving many professionals to navigate uncharted territory. To bridge this gap, here are five essential tips every designer should know when creating electronic circuits using AME.
1. Material compatibility. It is essential for engineers to consult material datasheets early in the design process and adjust calculations accordingly. AME relies on materials that differ from those used in traditional PCB fabrication. Our signature machine utilizes silver nanoparticle ink for conductive elements such as traces and ground (GND) planes, coupled with an acrylate-based photopolymer for dielectric layers and structures, instead of relying on copper traces and fiberglass-reinforced laminates. These differences have important implications for both mechanical and electrical design.
Mechanically, traditional laminates offer high strength due to glass-fiber reinforcement. In contrast, AME photopolymers are composed entirely of polymer, making them inherently less rigid. Since most AME applications focus on electronic rather than mechanical performance, however, this is rarely a limitation, and designers can compensate for the reduced material strength by optimizing the part’s geometry. Compact, well-structured designs often exhibit excellent durability, even in demanding environments, thanks to favorable aspect ratios and the precision of micron-scale printing.
Electrically, the materials used in AME also exhibit different behavior. For example, the dielectric constant of our photopolymer is approximately 2.8, compared to the 3.8 to 4.4 range typical of FR-4 substrates. Consider the lower dielectric constant when designing for AME, where impedance control is required. Additionally, the 3-D capabilities of AME enable out-of-the-box thinking and the implementation of various transmission lines, such as embedded coaxial lines, which are difficult to fabricate using traditional manufacturing methods. These factors can significantly affect designs.
As the AME field evolves, a broader selection of materials will become available, offering greater flexibility in terms of dielectric constants, conductivity and mechanical performance. This will open new possibilities for designers seeking to push the boundaries of electronic circuit design (Figure 1).
Figure 1.
2. Populating boards. The thermal properties of AME support lower-temperature soldering processes. For example, the silver nanoparticle ink used in our systems permits solder reflow at around 200°C, compared to the 240°C typically required in traditional PCB assembly.
AME also introduces a unique capability beyond surface mounting: the ability to embed components directly within the printed structure. This is achieved by pausing the print mid-process, placing the component into a predesigned cavity, and then continuing the print to secure it and print its interconnect. This approach can eliminate the need for soldering or wire-bonding if the silicon die is placed altogether.
Embedding components requires a shift in design thinking, however. Instead of working in two dimensions, designers must consider the full three-dimensional structure of the circuit. This includes planning for internal cavities, vertical interconnects, and ensuring that embedded components can withstand the UV curing and thermal conditions of the printing process. For example, researchers at the Technical University of Liberec successfully embedded a thin ferromagnetic core into a 3-D-printed coil to create a fluxgate sensor using this method, resulting in superior performance. This approach achieved higher sensitivity and lower noise levels than otherwise would be possible, making it suitable for precise magnetic field measurements.
3. Following the design rules. While AME eliminates the need for traditional milling and drilling, it still requires adherence to specific design rules to ensure manufacturability and performance. These rules govern aspects such as trace width, spacing between conductive elements, and the geometry of embedded structures.
In traditional PCB fabrication, design constraints are largely dictated by the mechanical limitations of the manufacturing equipment. In AME, the constraints are defined by the resolution of the printing process and the behavior of the materials during the curing process. For example, we typically recommend a minimum trace width and spacing of 6 mils (0.006"). These values ensure reliable electrical performance and prevent issues such as short circuits or signal degradation.
Figure 2.
Designers also need to consider the integration of dielectric structures for placing components with mechanical holding, or passive electrical devices embedded onto the board. This includes capacitors, inductors and transmission lines for radio frequency (RF) applications, such as coaxial lines or waveguide structures. Regardless of the integrated element, each of these elements must be designed within the resolution limits of the printer and the electrical characteristics of the materials.
4. Optimizing print time. For AME, there are also best practices around placing the device on the printing tray, as good orientation is essential to optimize print time. Suboptimal placement will require more passes to build up each layer. The total height of the device also affects printing time, so the lower the profile, the faster the print, as layer thickness for the dielectric material is ~5-10µm, depending on the material in use, and ~1µm for the conductive material. Although this level of accuracy takes time to print, it enables highly accurate printing and designs that wouldn’t otherwise be possible, offering custom thicknesses, as opposed to traditional laminates, which come in specific thicknesses.
In AME, print time is influenced not only by the design complexity but also the part orientation on the print tray. Strategic placement can significantly reduce the number of passes required to build each layer, directly impacting overall production time. Orientation also plays a critical role. Aligning the design to minimize the number of print head movements can lead to more efficient builds.
The height of the printed object is a key factor. Since dielectric layers are deposited at 5 to 10µm per pass and conductive layers at just ~1µm, taller structures naturally take longer to fabricate. By minimizing the vertical profile where possible, designers can accelerate the build process without compromising functionality (Figure 3). By considering these factors early in the design phase, engineers can fully leverage of AME’s efficiency.
Figure 3.
5. Reliability, standardization and testing. Unlike traditional PCB manufacturing, AME currently operates without a unified set of industry standards. While organizations such as IPC are actively developing guidelines for additive electronics, designers today must take a more tailored approach to testing and validation.
In conventional PCB production, standard tests – such as thermal cycling, humidity exposure and vibration – are applied uniformly, regardless of the end application. These tests simulate long-term use and environmental stress, ensuring reliability across a wide range of conditions. In AME, however, the lack of standardized benchmarks means that testing must be customized to the specific use case of the printed device.
For example, thermal cycling from –20° to 120°C is common for evaluating electronic components. In AME, devices such as interposers, antennas or embedded connectors may pass without issue, while others may require design adjustments to meet performance expectations. The results can vary significantly depending on the design’s geometries.
As the AME ecosystem matures, the development of formal standards will simplify this process, enabling more consistent testing and certification. In the meantime, designers must remain proactive, defining test protocols based on the intended application and staying informed about emerging guidelines from industry bodies.
As additive manufacturing electronics continue to evolve, it offers designers unprecedented flexibility. Nevertheless, realizing the full potential of AME requires a solid understanding of its unique materials, design constraints and process considerations. By adapting design approaches and staying informed about emerging materials, technologies and standards, engineers can confidently leverage AME to create innovative, high-performance electronic systems that go beyond the limitations of traditional manufacturing.
Amir Shelef is application engineering director, AME, at Nano Dimension (nano-di.com), a provider of micro-3D printing/additive manufacturing (AM) solutions for a diverse array of applications spanning industry sectors such as medical, aerospace, automotive, consumer, electronics, optics and semiconductors; This address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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