WE GO WHERE OTHERS WILL NOT

Flexible Circuit
and
Heater
DESIGN GUIDE

ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, ISO 13485, TS 16949,

ROHS COMPLIANT, ITAR REGISTERED, UL REGISTERED,
FDA REGISTERED, IPC MEMBER, BBB MEMBER
 WE GO WHERE OTHERS WILL NOT
TABLE OF CONTENTS Application Documents
Forward............................................................1 IPC-2152 Standard for Determining Current -Carrying Capacity in
Printed Board Design.
Why Use Flex...................................................1
IPC-2221 Generic Standard on Printed Board Design
Terms and Definitions................................ 2-3
IPC-2223 Sectional Design Standard for Flexible Printed Boards
Flex Circuit Classes / Types........................... 4-5
Flex Circuit Mechanical Design Steps.............6 IPC-6011 Generic Performance Standard for Printed Boards

Standard Materials..........................................7 IPC-6013 Qualification and Performance Specification for Flexible

Printed Boards
Terminations....................................................7
IPC-4101 Specification for Base Materials for Rigid and Multilayer
Cost Drivers......................................................8 Printed Boards
Flex Circuit Design Guidelines............9, 12-13 IPC-4202 Flexible Base Dielectrics for Use in
Conductor Width Nomograph............... 10-11 Flexible Printed Circuitry

Handling /Assembly Guidelines....................14 IPC-4203 Adhesive Coated Dielectric Films for Use as Cover Sheets
for Flexible Printed Circuitry and Flexible Adhesive Bonding Films
Circuit Forming Guidelines...........................15
IPC-4204 Flexible Metal-Clad Dielectrics for Use in Fabrication of
FCT Capabilities....................................... 16-17 Flexible Printed Circuitry
High Density Interconnect (HDI)..................18 IPC-SM-840 Qualification and Performance Specification of
Rigid Flex Design Guidelines........................18 Permanent Solder Mask

Requirements for Flex Quote / Fabrication.... 19 *For more information on IPC specifications, contact IPC

Shipping Options...........................................19 3000 Lakeside Drive, Suite 309S

Bannockburn, IL 60015-1249 USA
Flexible Heaters....................................... 20-21 Tel: 847.615.7100/FAX:847.615.7105
[Link]

Flexible Circuit Technologies (FCT)

9850 51st Ave N. | Plymouth, MN 55442
763-545-3333 (main) | 888 -921-6167 (toll free)
[Link] | sales@[Link]
 FORWARD

Flexible circuit designs share many of the same challenges as rigid PCB designs, but there are
also many differences and additional challenges. The very nature of a flex circuit being able to
bend and flex make it as much a mechanical device as an electrical one. This creates a special
set of requirements unique to flexible circuitry. Understanding how these requirements interact
will allow the PCB designer to create a flex circuit that balances the electrical and mechanical
features into a reliable, cost effective interconnect solution. We hope you find this flex circuit
design guide a useful tool throughout your design process. We also encourage you to call one
of our knowledgeable, experienced Applications Engineers at any time during your design
process. They stand ready to assist you at every step to ensure that your flex circuit design is
a successful one.

WHY USE FLEX?

There are many reasons to use flexible cir- • No Wiring Errors—Since the conductors
cuitry as your interconnect choice. Among on a flex circuit are photo-defined just like
these are: a rigid a PCB, there will never be a wiring
error.
• Low Mass—Flexible circuits are only
a fraction of the mass of discreet wiring
making them ideal for high shock, high
vibration applications.
• High Wiring Density—Because the
conductors in a flexible circuit are photo-
defined like a rigid PCB, flexible circuits
are capable of very small conductors and
therefore ultra-high wiring density. They
can take up to 75% less space than a simi-
lar wiring harness.
• The Ability to Bend and Flex—Perhaps
• Lowest Total Cost of Ownership—
the single biggest reason for using flexible
Using flexible circuitry as your intercon-
circuits is their ability to bend and flex to
nect solution gives your designers the
fit unique applications.
freedom to eliminate costly features such
• Ease of Assembly—Every flex circuit is as board to board connectors and jumper
custom to its application, and if designed wires while streamlining assembly time
properly, should fit perfectly and consis- which results in the lowest TCO.
tently.
• Termination Options—Flexible circuits
can accept PCB connectors, FFC connectors,
and insulation displacement connectors.
Plus, several options such as unsupported
fingers than can only be done on flex.

1
 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Access Hole: Opening in cover material to Bondply: A combination of insulating ma- Cover: The insulating material covering the
allow electrical connection to a conductor. terial with adhesive on both sides supplied outer layers of a flexible circuit.
as a film.
Covercoat: A liquid or semi-liquid insulat-
Access Hole Circuit Class: Classes 1-3 based on inspec- ing material used as a permanent cover over
tion, testing, and performance requirements. the outer conductive layers.

Circuit Type: Types 1-5 based on layer Coverlay: A combination of insulating ma-
count, material selection, and vias. terial with adhesive on one side supplied as
a film.
ACF: (Anisotropic Conductive Film) Adhe- Conductive Ink: Conductive particles, usu-
sive films used to electrically and mechani- ally silver or copper, suspended in an adhe- ENIG: Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold.
cally join conductive surfaces on a flex circuit. sive carrier, usually epoxy. Can be used to
These films are available in both thermal set- make conductive traces, or as a replacement ENEPIG: Electroless Nickel Electroless Pal-
ting and pressure sensitive versions and are for a copper shield. Typically more flexible ladium Immersion Gold.
only electrically conductive in the Z-axis. than copper foil.
Epoxy Adhesive: Thermo-setting film ad-
hesive. The preferred adhesive for flex cir-
cuits manufactured in Asia. See also Acrylic
Adhesive.

Fillets: A flaring of a conductor as it con-

nects to a pad. Used to minimize stress.

Membrane switch using printed FR4: Common epoxy based hardboard mate-
conductive silver ink. rial used to make stiffeners (no copper clad-
ACF Bonding for flip chip assembly. ding), or base material in a rigid flex circuit
Conductor: The path that carries electrical (copper clad).
current from one point to another.
Acrylic Adhesive: Thermo-setting film Gerber: The most common PCB elec-
adhesive. The preferred adhesive for flex cir- Conductor Spacing: The width of space tronic data exchange format. This format
cuits manufactured in the US. See also Epoxy between conductor strands. A certain mini- is preferred over the other formats such as
Adhesive. mum conductor spacing must exist in order to ODB++, and DXF.
prevent conductors from shorting together.
Adhesive Squeeze Out: Adhesive that Conductor Hardboard: Resin impregnated glass cloth,
Spacing
flows out on to a conductive surface during most commonly epoxy or polyimide resin,
lamination. with or without copper cladding.
Adhesive
Annular Ring: Polyimide HASL: Hot Air Solder Level.
The ring of ex- Annular
Ring
posed copper Conductor Width: The width of a conduc- Hold Down Tabs: An extension of copper
or solder that tor measured across its base. on a conductor pad that aids the pad in grip-
surrounds a flex Conductor ping to the base substrate. Hold down tabs
Width are also referred to as “anchoring spurs”.
circuit’s through
holes.
Adhesive
Polyimide
Base Material: Copper clad flexible
dielectrics, usually polyimide film, with or Controlled Impedance: Combining mate-
without adhesive. rial selection, circuit construction, and circuit
feature sizes to yield a predetermined char- Hold-Down
Tab
Bend Ratio: The ratio of bend radius to acteristic impedance. Impedance control re-
circuit thickness. quirements typically result in a thicker, less
flexible circuit.
2
 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

I-Beam Effect: Stacking conductors on top POP: Pads Only Plating. Refers to a process Stiffener: A rigid sheet material, usually
of each other on multiple layers, resulting in where copper is plated only in through Epoxy/glass construction or thick polyimide
a thicker and stiffer circuit. Generally con- holes and on pads. Used to reduce thickness film (.005"), used to rigidize areas of the flex
sidered poor design practice and should be and increase flexibility. Also referred to as circuit that should not flex.
avoided. selective or button plating.
Plated through holes connect circuit layers and are
used for through hole component assembly.
Polyester: Low temp, low cost insulating
material.

Polyimide: High temp insulating material

Major Access Hole: An access hole that is available in film, hard board, or B-stage
large enough to expose a major portion of a adhesive. Polyimide film is the most common
conductor pad, which is usually plated with insulating material used in flex circuitry.
a final finish or coated with solder.
Prepreg: Uncured resin impregnated glass
cloth used as an adhesive in rigid flex
circuits. Resin can be any of a number of
types including epoxy, polyimide, BT, etc. Stiffener applied to rigidize the area of
component assembly.
PSA: Pressure Sensitive Adhesive.
Silkscreen nomenclature can be useful to add
Major Access Hole PTH: Plated Through Hole. identifying markings to circuits.

4. Polyimide
Minor Accesscovers
Hole: are
An laminated
access hole that Punch and Die: A very expensive steel tool
over etched copper Termination: The method used to bring
exposes only a very small portion of a con- used for punching covers, adhesives, and
electrical signals to/from the flexible circuit.
ductor pad, used on holes where a solder final circuit outlines that is capable of tens of
Most commonly connectors, pins, or access
pad is not needed or desired. The cover hole thousands of punches between sharpenings.
holes.
must still be larger than the through hole to Also capable of extreme accuracy.
allow for normal registration tolerances. Via: A plated through hole used to intercon-
Minor Rigid Flex: A circuit containing rigid PCB
Access Hole nect multiple layers of circuitry.
boards connected by integral flexible areas
where the flexible materials and circuitry run
through both rigid and flex areas.

Silkscreen: A processs for applying legend,

marking, LPI solder mask, and silver ink
conductors.

Neutral Bend Axis: Imaginary planar Strain Relief: Usually refers to a bead of
region of flex that does not experience any semi-rigid adhesive applied along a rigid/
tension or compression forces when the flex interface, but can also refer to any of
circuit is bent or folded. a number of features that can reduce, or
eliminate, stress concentration features.
Pad: A conductive land, usually round,
and placed over holes drilled for electrical SMOBC: Solder Mask Over Bare Copper.
connection.
SRD: Steel Rule Die, an inexpensive tool
PIC: Photo Imageable Cover (cover coat). used to punch covers, adhesives, final circuit
outlines, etc. Constructed from a long blade
Pad that is formed to a desired shape and then
pressed into a laser cut plywood base.
Capable of hundreds or a few thousand
punches. Capable of moderate accuracy.
3
 FLEX CIRCUIT CLASSES / TYPES

Circuit Classes: IPC 6013 Type 1

Flex circuits fall into 3 classes (1-3 per IPC-6013) based on the level of • Single conductive layer
inspection and testing required, and also by the performance require-
ments of the finished product. • Insulating material one or both sides

• Access to conductors on one or both sides

• Class 1 circuits have the minimum inspection, testing and perfor-
mance requirements. These circuits are the least expensive and are
typically used in applications such as disposable electronics (e.g. Access Hole
musical greeting cards) and RFID tags. Polyimide Cover
Adhesive
• Class 2 circuits have moderate inspection, testing, and performance
requirements. Class 2 circuits are more expensive than class 1 and
are typically found in applications such as cameras, medical diag- Polyimide Substrate
nostic equipment, and cell phones. Copper Pad

• Class 3 circuits have the highest level of inspection, testing and

performance requirements. Class 3 circuits are the most expensive
of the 3 classes, and are typically found in applications that involve
the taking or maintaining of life. Applications would include im-
plantable cardiac devices and military/aerospace electronics.

IPC-6013 Type 2
Circuit Types:
• Two conductive layers with flexible insu-
Flex circuit type is determined by the number of conductive layers, lating film between them
construction/materials, and the presence or absence of plated through
holes. The common flex circuit types (1-4) are illustrated at right. A • Plated interconnect holes
fifth flex circuit type (type 5) is very uncommon and is not shown. Type
• Insulating cover material on one or both sides
5 circuits are two or more layers without plated through holes.
• Access to conductors one or both sides

Access Hole
Polyimide Cover
Adhesive
Copper Pad

Polyimide Cover
Copper-Plated
Through Hole
Polyimide Substrate

4
 FLEX CIRCUIT CLASSES / TYPES

IPC 6013 Type 3 Type 1-Single Layer Flex

Dual access is accomplished on a single sided flex by
• Three or more conductive layers laser skiving openings on the bottom side of the flex.

• Flexible insulating material between layers

• Plated interconnect holes
• Insulating cover material one or both sides
• Access to conductors one or both sides

Access Hole
Cover
Copper Pad
Polyimide Substrate
Bond Ply
Polyimide Substrate

Adhesive
Cover
Copper-Plated Through Hole

IPC 6013 Type 4 Type 4-Rigid Flex

Rigid flex circuits combine rigid FR-4 areas for dense component population inter-
• Two or more conductive layers connected with flexible polyimide areas which can be bent to accommodate overall
packaging needs.
• Insulating material may be rigid or flexible
• Plated interconnect holes through flex
and rigid materials
• Access to conductors one or both sides
through cover material or SMOBC

Polyimide Cover
Adhesive
Polyimide Cover

Adhesive
Polyimide Substrate

Copper Pad
Rigid Material Copper-Plated Through Hole

5
 FLEX CIRCUIT MECHANICAL DESIGN STEPS

Objective: Provide low profile interconnect for

3 small PCBs
Review electrical schematic/net list to
estimate approximate layer count. Account
for all signal and plane layers. Also, refer
to the Conductor Width Nomograph (page
11) for any conductors with high current
requirements. Multiply the number of layers
by .0055" to get the approximate overall
thickness of the circuit (if your circuit has
BEFORE AFTER
controlled impedance requirements, this
multiplier may be larger).

Review  mechanical  requirements/solid Step 1: Layout Step 3: Create

model to determine minimum bend radii. circuit footprint on polyester mock-up.
Determine and evaluate bend ratio. CAD and create a
paper doll.
Determine flex termination method(s).
Step 2: Check Step 4: Check
Create a “paper doll” of the proposed flex paper doll for fit. polyester mock-up
circuit outline. The first paper doll outline for form and fit.
can be created with just a ruler and a pencil,
but subsequent iterations should then be
transferred to a CAD program so that you
can keep track of your modifications. Place
the paper doll in the assembly to check
form and fit. Don’t forget to account for the
termination hardware. Make modifications
as required to optimize fit.

Keep the assembler in mind during the

Step 5: Contact flex vendor to make Final step: Flex circuit
fit check. If the paper doll tears during
mechanical mock up. This mock up
installation, it may signal possible assembly
should accurately reflect the actual
problems. A flex circuit that is difficult to install
materials of the final circuit.
will add time (cost) to the assembly, and can
be a reliability risk due to possible damage
to the circuit during the installation.

Re-create the paper doll using .010"

polyester sheet material. You can usually
use a standard copy machine to print the
circuit outline. Cut the model out and check
for form and fit and modify as necessary. The
polyester is a bit stiffer than paper and will
better represent the mechanical properties
of the flex circuit.

Obtain a mechanical sample from your

flex circuit vendor. This sample will be represented. Connectors can be glued in the mechanical sample should require few, if
constructed from the same materials as place with epoxy to give a true sense of the any, modifications.
the final flex, but will not have any etched final fit. This will be the final opportunity to
circuitry (only solid copper). All component tweak your design prior to ordering actual
holes and circuit outline features should be circuits. If you have followed the steps above,

6
 STANDARD MATERIALS

Flexible Circuit Technologies can work with Insulating Material: Stiffener Material:
a wide variety of flex circuit materials to
give you the electrical and mechanical per- • Polyimide Film .001", .002", .003" • Glass Reinforced FR4 (epoxy)
formance you require. However, to get the
lowest possible cost for your flexible circuit, • Polyester Film • Polyimide Film (non-reinforced) .005"
it is advisable to design your circuit using • PEN
standard materials whenever possible. Using Final Finishes:
uncommon materials in your design can add • PET
significantly to both the cost and the lead • ENIG
• Solder Mask
time of your circuit.
• ENEPIG
• PIC
• Hard Nickel/Gold
Conductive Material:
Adhesive: • HASL
• Copper Foil ¼ oz (9 um), 1/3 oz., ½ oz.,
1 oz., 2 oz. • Epoxy .001", .002" • Immersion Tin

• Constantan • Modified Acrylic .001", .002" • Tin Plate

• Cupro-nickel • Prepreg • Organic (OSP)

• Inconel • PSA

• Silver Filled Epoxy • Adhesiveless

• Carbon
• Aluminum

TERMINATIONS Circular Connector

Virtually any connector or component that

can be mounted on a rigid PCB can also be
mounted on a flex circuit. In addition, flex SMT Connector
circuitry offers many other options including
unsupported fingers and insulation displace-
ment connectors. Contact your FCT Applica-
tions Engineer to discuss which termination
option will work best for your application.
Insulation Displacement Connectors
ZIF Connector Terminal

Right Angle Connector

Card Edge Connectors

Crimp Pins

7
 COST DRIVERS

Every designer is looking for ways to decrease costs without sacrific- • Circuit Type (i.e. type 3 vs type 4)—Rigid flex circuits are
ing performance. IPC research has shown that PCB designers drive typically more expensive than multilayer flex with stiffeners.
over 75% of the circuit cost based on the decisions they make. It is Scrutinize your design to determine if your application requires a
imperative that the flex designer understand what features add value rigid flex construction, or if a multilayer with stiffeners will work. If
and what features add only cost. Designers should never sacrifice reli- in doubt, call your flexible circuit manufacturer and ask.
ability to save costs, but at the same time, many flex circuits are over
specified resulting in additional costs that add no additional value. • Circuit Class (i.e. class 3 vs class 2)—Class 3 circuits require
Here is a list of the features that drive the majority of your circuit additional testing, inspection, and construction requirements which
cost: make them more expensive. Review the requirements of your
application to determine the proper class for your flex circuit.
• Layer Count—As the number of layers increase, so does the • Drawings  Overly  or  Too  Tightly  Dimensioned—It  is
cost. More layers will require additional materials and processing important to remember that you are purchasing a flexible circuit,
time. Processing high layer count flex or rigid flex can also be very not a machined part. The materials used to manufacture flexible
technically challenging which may result in reduced yields. circuits both permit and require looser tolerances than rigid PCBs.
• Circuit Size and Shape—Most flexible circuits are constructed Each dimension placed on a drawing will have to be verified, so
in panel form. The greater the panel area a circuit occupies, the ask yourself, “is this dimension adding value, or just cost?”. All
greater the cost. There are instances where even a small change non-critical dimensions on your flex circuit drawing should be
in outline can result in a large cost decrease. The illustration below designated as reference.
shows how a slight modification to the flex shape allows for a • Dissimilar Layer Counts in PTH Areas—All areas that have
better nesting of the flexes on the panel, resulting in two more plated through holes should have the same layer count and
circuits per panel. construction.
• Multiple Final Finishes—While multiple final finishes can
certainly be accomplished, it usually requires a series of hand
masking operations that will add cost.
• Small Features—Because of the inherent dimensional instability
of flex circuit materials, small circuit features (i.e. via pads) can
cause processing difficulties and reduced yields. There are instances
where it would be less expensive to add additional layers with
larger features, than to design with very small features. For this
reason, it is advisable to contact FCT early in the design stage for
guidance.
• Blind and Buried Vias—These are significantly more expensive
than through holes.

Laser cutting can eliminate the time and

cost of tooling during prototyping. It can
also be an effective way to cut out unique
shapes within a flex circuit.

8
 FLEX CIRCUIT DESIGN GUIDELINES

copper, it also attacks the edges of the

Overview conductors resulting in what is referred to as
“under-cut”.
Scrutinize your design for stress concen-
Conductor
tration features. Stress concentration fea- BEND AREA BEND AREA Width
tures are the predominant single cause for Ideal: Conductor
mechanical failures in flexible circuits (i.e. width greater
than 5x conductor Adhesive
cracked/broken conductors, torn insulating Polyimide
NOT ACCEPTABLE PREFERRED thickness.
material, etc.). To avoid stress concentration PREFERRED
Ideal: Conductor width greater
points, the construction of the circuit should than 5x conductor
As copper foil thickness increases,thickness.
so does
not change in, or immediately adjacent to, Conductors should always change directions the amount of undercut. This makes it very
the bend area. In a bend area, there should with soft curves rather than sharp corners. difficult for the flex manufacturer to cre-
be no change of conductor width or thick- When curves are not an option, 2- 45 degree ate very small conductors on very thick foil.
ness or direction, no termination of plating corners are preferred over 1-90 degree corner. There are also variations in the etching pro-
or coatings, no openings in covers or outer
cess (primarily etchant strength which varies
insulating materials, and no holes of any
with the amount of copper in the solution).
kind in a bend zone. If you would like your
For this reason, the designer must factor in a
flex circuit design evaluated for stress con-
processing allowance for strand width (and
centration features free of charge by an FCT
spacing). For optimum etch yields, conduc-
Applications Engineer, call 888-921-6167
tor widths should be at least 5 times greater
or 763-545-3333, or submit your design at NOT ACCEPTABLE PREFERRED
PREFERRED than the thickness.
[Link]
• When possible route small conductors on Copper Foil Plated Non-plated
the inside of a tight bend. Small conduc- Thickness Copper Copper
tors (<.007") will tolerate compression +/- .001" +/- .001"
better than stretching. Placing these con- ¼ oz
(25 um) (25 um)
ductors on the inside of a bend will reduce
Poor Design-Fingers stop short of cover +/- .001" +/- .001"
or eliminate tension forces. ½ oz
(25 um) (25um)
• Do not stack conductors on top of each +/- .002" +/- .001"
1 oz
other on multiple layers creating an “I (50um) (25um)
beam” effect. Stacking conductors will es- +/- .003" +/- .002"
sentially increase the overall circuit thick- 2 oz
Good Design-Fingers extend under cover (75um) (50 um)
ness thereby decreasing flexibility and the
circuit’s ability to bend reliably. It is advisable to maximize conductor width
Bend Ratio Good
wherever possible. For example, if your
design requires .005" conductor width to
Determine and evaluate the minimum bend squeeze between pads in an isolated area,
ratio of your design. This will be your single the conductor should flare back out to .010”-
best indicator of whether your flex circuit .012” once the conductor clears the tight
may experience problems in service. Bend area. This will improve the manufacturing
ratio is bend radius: circuit thickness. etch yields, which in turn means a lower
overall circuit cost to you.
Preferred Bend Ratios Are: Bad
10:1 Single Layer
Not Preferred
Conductors
PREFERRED

10:1 Double Layer

NOT NOT
PREFERRED

20:1 Multiple Layer

Flexible circuit conductors are manufactured
using a photo-etch process which starts with
Conductor Routing a full sheet of copper. Conductors are formed
by masking the desired conductive paths, Preferred
When possible, conductors should be routed and then chemically removing all unwanted
PREFERRED

through bending or flexing areas with the copper, leaving the desired circuit patterns.
PREFERRED

conductors perpendicular to the bend. This As the etchant dissolves the unmasked
will minimize stress on the conductors during
flexing and maximize circuit life.

9
 CONDUCTOR WIDTH NOMOGRAPH

The conductor width nomograph on the op-

posite page will assist you in determining the
conductor widths necessary to carry various
current loads. The nomograph was reprinted Example #1:If design requires 2 amps @
from IPC-2152. Refer to IPC-2152 for a more 10°c temp rise, conductor would be either
in-depth analysis of various features and
variables that affect current carrying capac- a) .018” wide on 2oz Cu, or
ity of copper conductors. b) .036” wide on a 1oz Cu, or
c) .072” wide on 1/2oz Cu
Using The Nomograph
1. Find the current matching your require-
ments on the left side of the upper chart.
2. Move to the right until you intersect the
curve that corresponds with the maximum
temperature rise allowed. Keep in mind
that the temperature rise is from system
operating temperature (not necessarily
room temp).
3. From the intersection point of the current/
temp rise, move straight down to the low-
er graph to where you intersect the copper
weight of the conductors.
4. Move to the left to determine conductor Example #2: How much current can a .100”
width. wide conductor on 1oz Cu carry with 20°
(max temperature rise) @ 10 Amps.

Conductor
Width

Adhesive
Polyimide

10
CONDUCTOR WIDTH NOMOGRAPH

11
 FLEX CIRCUIT DESIGN GUIDELINES

PAD Fillets Tear Relief SMT Access Openings

LAMINATED
It is a good idea to insert fillets on pads at TEFLON TAB The two most common cover materials are
each location where a conductor enters a AT CORNER polyimide film and flexible soldermask. The
pad. Pad fillets will reduce or eliminate po- methods for creating access openings in the
tential stress concentration points. 2 materials are very different and carry very
different design requirements. Access open-
ings in polyimide film are created by drilling,
RELIEF SLOT
routing, or punching, which limits the size
and shape of the openings to what can be
done with a round bit or a tool. For this rea-
LARGE CORNER son, SMT access openings in polyimide film
RADIUS
are either round or oval. Also, gang access
SLIT WITH
RELIEF HOLE of multiple SMT pads is a common design
practice on flex circuits.
This illustration shows the most common and
effective methods of eliminating tears in a flexible
circuit. Copper tear stops are not shown because
they have been shown to have limited value in
keeping a tear from starting or propagating.
Before Fillets

Vias Flexible soldermask, like regular PCB solder-

mask, is photo-defined so any shape open-
FCT can provide circuits with through hole,
ing is possible. Soldermask openings should
blind, or buried vias. Through holes can
be made slightly larger than the SMT pads
connect all layers at a via point. Blind vias
to ensure that the mask does not get on the
connect outer layers to adjacent layers, but
pads if there is any misregistration in the
do not extend through the circuit. Buried
printing process.
vias connect internal layers but do not
extend to the outer layers. Blind and buried
vias will increase the cost of the circuit, but
can increase usable PCB real estate on non-
drilled layers.

After Fillets

12
 FLEX CIRCUIT DESIGN GUIDELINES

Controlled Impedance and Plane Layers and Shielding Stiffeners

Signal Integrity
Reference plane layers and external shield- It is wise to rigidize SMT, connector, and oth-
The speed at which electronic devices are op- ing play a key role in both impedance control er termination areas on your flex circuit with
erating is continually increasing. The result is and signal integrity. FCT can add plane lay- mechanical stiffeners. FCT can add stiffeners
that the characteristic impedance of all parts ers using: of various thickness made from epoxy glass
of the electronic assembly, including any flex laminate (FR4) or polyimide film. In SMT ap-
or rigid PCBs in the system, need to have • Additional etched copper layers plications, stiffeners should be applied to
matching impedance. Impedance mismatches the side opposite the SMT components. On
• Screened conductive epoxies or inks
will cause signal reflections and degradation through hole connectors and other through
at each mismatch point, which in turn results • Laminated conductive films hole applications, stiffeners should be ap-
in erroneous signals and ultimately device plied to the same side as the connector or
malfunction. The characteristic impedance through hole component. Stiffeners applied
of a flex can be determined prior to manu- to connector areas will require holes that
facturing using an impedance calculator.  An match the connector footprint. Holes in the
FCT engineer can assist you with these cal- stiffener should be sized at least .015” larger
culations, or you can buy or download an im- than the access hole in the circuit.
pedance calculator. A number of factors will
affect the characteristic impedance of a flex
PCB. The main contributors are:
Thermal Pads
Thermal pads should be used on any solder
• The dielectric constant of the insulation Shielded flex circuits reduce noise and control pad that is surrounded by a large amount of
materials used to construct the circuit. impedance of signal lines. Shielding can be solid, copper. Large areas of copper will sink heat
patterned or cross hatched and can be on one
• The width of the traces carrying the signal. or both sides.
away from a non-thermal pad and make it
very difficult to solder.
• The distance of the signal traces from the
reference plane layer(s).
Copper plane layers are the standard for
• The thickness of the traces carrying the internal planes that require connection
signals. through plated vias. Copper planes will WIDE CONDUCTOR
cause a flex to hold a pre-form better, while OR PLANE
• The distance between signal traces in dif-
screened epoxies and inks and laminated
ferential impedance applications.
conductive films will produce a more flex-
The most common impedance requirements ible circuit. Your FCT Applications Engineer
range from 50-75 ohms (single ended) or can guide you in selecting the best shielding
100-110 ohms differential. Achieving these option for your design.
impedance values in flex circuitry requires
the use of thicker dielectric materials than
are normally used, resulting in an overall
thicker and stiffer circuit. THERMAL PADS
coverlay
adhesive
copper
polyimide
copper
adhesive
coverlay

The bottom shows the construction with higher

impedance requirements. The added thickness
of the controlled impedance part will make
the circuit less flexible.
coverlay
adhesive
copper

polyimide

copper
adhesive
coverlay

13
 HANDLING / ASSEMBLY GUIDELINES

• Thoroughly bake flex circuits prior to assembly. The materials used • Any bend in a flex circuit that exceeds 10:1 bend ratio on single
in flexible circuit manufacturing are very hygroscopic. In the right and double sided circuits, or 20:1 on multilayers, should be formed
humidity conditions, a flex circuit can near saturation in less than only once. Once the part has been formed, it should not be opened
an hour. It is imperative that this moisture is removed prior to and reformed, or exercised in any way. Bends with tight ratios will
the circuit being subjected to elevated temperatures. Moisture is permanently stretch the copper conductors on the outside of the
typically removed through an extended baking process (2-6 hours bend. If the circuit is flattened, the copper will not recompress.
dependent upon circuit thickness and construction) at temperatures Rather, the copper will ripple. Reforming or exercising the bend
between 225F and 275F). After baking, the flex circuits should be will make the conductors alternately ripple and flatten causing the
processed immediately. If it is not feasible to process the circuits copper to become brittle. Brittle conductors will ultimately lead to
immediately after they are baked, they should be stored in a sealed cracks and failures.
dry box with desiccant, or in a nitrogen chamber until they can be
processed (which should be 24 hours or less). • Make sure that your reflow temperature profile is matched to
flex circuit materials. Due to their low mass and relatively low
temperature ratings, flex materials cannot withstand, nor do they
Component Assembly - we offer require, the elevated temps and durations of standard rigid PCB
through hole and surface mount
profiles.
capabilities, as well as circuit testing,
and electrostatic protective packaging. • Utilize a carrier or transport system for your flex circuit during the
assembly process. Flex circuit materials are not as durable as rigid
PCB materials, and are more prone to damage due to careless
handling. FCT can provide custom shipping trays that can also be
used as carrier trays during the assembly process.

Circuits can be provided in panel form to allow for

subsequent SMT assembly. Circuits are held in panel
with breakout tabs that allow for easy depanelization
after assembly.

• Flex circuits should be formed at the very end of the assembly

process. After a circuit is formed, it should not be subjected to any
elevated temperature. Elevated temperatures will cause the circuit
materials to soften and the bend will relax.

14
 CIRCUIT FORMING GUIDELINES

Probably the single biggest reason for using

a flexible circuit for your interconnect needs
is that it gives you the ability to form and
shape the circuit to fit in your application. INSTALL IN
However, simply using flex materials does HAND PRESS
not guarantee that the circuit can be formed
to any shape. In many cases, a custom form-
ing tool is required to ensure that the circuit
can be repeatably and reliably formed. DESIRED
RADIUS
• If your required bend ratio is less than 10:1
for single or double sided circuits, or less
than 20:1 for multi-layers, you will want to
create custom forming tooling. Depending
upon the complexity of the bending and 2 SHEETS .25" RUBBER
forming, this tooling can be constructed
from plastic or metal. An experienced FCT
engineer is available to assist you in de-
signing your forming tools.
• Circuits are best formed cold. Flex circuits
become very fragile when they get hot, so
it is advisable to form your circuits cold
whenever possible.
• If a bend is relaxing too much after cold
forming, heat can be added to the process
to make the bends hold their shape better.
The circuit should still be loaded into the
forming fixture cold (room temperature),
and then the entire assembly should be
placed in an oven for just long enough to
Pre-formed circuits reduce subsequent assembly
bring the forming tooling up to tempera- time and errors.
ture. The best oven temp is the lowest tem-
perature that works for your application.
The assembly should then be removed and
allowed to cool back to room temperature
before the circuit is removed from the
tooling.

Crimp pins are mechanically attached to a circuit to

allow for soldered connections.

15
 FCT CAPABILITIES

Flexible Circuit Technologies

We know how difficult it can be to find a sup-
plier that is experienced in a wide variety of
industries and flexible enough to take on any
technical challenge. What makes FCT differ-
ent? On the front end, our engineers have a
wealth of experience in unique applications
and a desire to solve problems that others
will not. We have domestic and international MULTILAYER FLEX HDI FLEX
production capabilities to bring design to re-
ality, and if necessary we can add a dedicat-
ed manufacturing line to meet your unique
product needs. Finally, with our inventory
stocking program, your products can be built
in quantities required to effectively meet
your business objectives, while being deliv-
ered in quantities and time frames desired by
your production facility. Like our motto says
“We Go Where Others Will Not!”

Single, double, multilayer flex circuits, as well

as rigid flex circuits, can be designed with
dozens of different conductors, adhesives,
insulation layers , finishes, connectors and
more. The combinations are nearly endless
and are limited only by the designer’s imagi-
nation.

HEAVY COPPER FLEX RIGID FLEX

SINGLE/DOUBLE LAYER FLEX UNBONDED FLEX MEMBRANE SWITCH

16
 FCT CAPABILITIES

Services that also

demonstrate we will go
where others will not.
It’s not just our design and manufacturing
capacity that makes us different; our techni-
cal, engineering, procurement and customer
services give us a competitive advantage.
GRAPHIC OVERLAY FLEXIBLE COIL • Engineering and Design Support—
Applications and design engineering staff
with decades of experience in flexible
circuitry.
• Domestic and International
Production Capabilities—Three
manufacturing facilities in Asia and USA.
• Value  Added  Assembly—Reduce  your
vendor count, production delays and
quality issues by having us do your
sourcing, assembly and testing. From a
single component to complex box build,
we can handle your needs.
• Inventory  Stocking—Pull  and  push
inventory to meet your needs. Order in high
volume but let us manage your inventories
with JIT deliveries.
• Prototypes, High or Low Volume—
OVER MOLDING FLEXIBLE HEATER Many manufacturers have minimum cus-
tom orders. We don’t. Order 10 or a million.

FLAT FLEXIBLE CABLE COMPONENT ASSEMBLY

17
 HIGH DENSITY INTERCONNECT (HDI)

As electronic devices continue to shrink, PCB HDI technology allows the designer to elimi- FCT feature sizes for HDI designs:
real estate in these devices becomes more nate many of the usual through hole vias
densely populated. In many designs, there is that are used to connect layers, and move • Minimum trace: 0.05mm
just not enough room for all of the required those interconnects to internal layers of the
• Minimum space: 0.05mm
SMT components, and also for all of the circuit. This will free valuable space on the
through hole interconnects between layers. outer layers that can now be used for SMT • Minimum pad size: via size plus 0.15mm
In many cases, the answer to this problem is components.
HDI (High Density Interconnect) technology. • Minimum through hole drill 0.1mm
In order to manufacture ultra high wiring • Minimum laser drill 0.08mm
What is HDI? density flex circuits with features this small,
state of the art equipment and processes are
HDI combines several (or all) of these fea- required. Sequential lamination processes
tures: combined with laser direct imaging technol-
ogy (LDI) is required to overcome the inher-
• Very small traces and spacing (typically ent dimensional instability of the flex circuit
< 0.08mm/0.08mm). materials. Mechanical and Laser drills with
• Very small via pads (typically <0.4mm). optical targeting, and high aspect ratio plat-
ing lines are necessary to ensure well placed
• Very small interconnect vias (typically and reliably plated vias. AOI (Automatic Op-
<0.15mm). tical Inspection) is also required to accurately
identify internal and external etching flaws.
• Blind, buried and/or filled vias on one or All of this state of the art processing equip-
more layers. ment makes FCT uniquely qualified to tackle
even the most demanding high density flex
designs.

RIGID FLEX DESIGN GUIDELINES

Since rigid flex circuits are a hybrid of rigid • Utilize “unbonded” construction to in-
and flexible PCBs, there are special guide- crease flexibility (see illustration on page
lines that apply to this type of construction. 16). When using unbonded construction
on impedance controlled circuits, you
• On rigid flex circuits, ensure that all plated must ensure that signal and reference
through holes are in a rigid area (no PTHs plane layers are not unbonded from each
in flex areas). other. When the circuit is bent, the un-
bonded areas will buckle, which will cause
• Specify adhesiveless flex materials and
an impedance mismatch if the signal and
“cut-back” or “bikini” cover construction
reference plane layers are not bonded to-
for rigid flex designs. Acrylic adhesive is the
gether.
“Achilles heel” of a plated through hole in
a rigid flex circuit. Eliminating acrylic ad- • When specifying a carrier panel or “pal-
hesive from the plated through hole area let” for component installation, contact
will greatly increase the reliability of the your manufacturer to make sure that the
PTHs. carrier panel fits efficiently on their pro-
cessing panel. Failure to do this can result
• Rigid sections connected by flex should be
in a major cost increase.
a minimum of .375" apart and preferably
.5" or more.

18
 REQUIREMENTS FOR FLEX QUOTE / FABRICATION

Budgetary Quote: Firm Quote: To Fabricate Your Circuit:

Flexible Circuit Technologies can give you A higher level of documentation is required In order to fabricate your circuit, FCT will
a budgetary quote with a minimal amount for a firm quote. We will need your desired need to have a drawing, and CAD data that
of information. We would need the approxi- order quantity, plus a drawing showing part define all features of the circuit including all
mate layer count, part size and shape, circuit size and shape, materials used, drilled hole conductor layers, border outline, drill layer,
type (i.e. type 1-4), and how many circuits sizes and locations (unless shown in accom- conductor access openings, SMOBC (if re-
you want. If you have additional information panying Gerber files), and notes that specify quired), and marking. This can be supplied
at this stage of your design, include that as all critical features of your circuit. If you have in several formats, but the most common
well. Keep in mind that FCT is eager to assist CAD files at this stage of your design, please (and preferred) would be Gerber or ODB++.
you at this stage of your flex circuit design. include those as well to ensure that you re- Drawings are usually transmitted in DWG or
Many potential design and performance ceive the best possible price for your circuit. DXF format.
problems can be avoided by including your At this point in your design, you should have
flex manufacturer during the design stage. pretty good idea of how the circuit will be
formed, and any environmental concerns
such as shock, vibration, or elevated tem-
peratures. Sharing this information with your
FCT Applications Engineer will allow him to
evaluate the circuit construction and final
configuration to determine if your design is
sound.

SHIPPING OPTIONS
There are many shipping options available to ensure that your circuits arrive at your facility in
perfect condition. Many of these options can also be used as protective carriers on your pro-
duction floor to reduce or eliminate damage due to handling.

Bulk Bag—This is the least expensive meth- Low Tack—Low cost and works well for Custom Shipping Trays—Moderate cost
od and is best for bare, unformed circuits all bare, unformed circuits including circuits and offers the best protection. Best option
with no stiffeners or polyimide stiffeners. with FR4 stiffeners. Available in ESD safe ma- for circuits that are formed or populated.
terial.

19
 FLEXIBLE HEATERS

Flexible circuits can be made with resistive metals rather than copper, • Constantan—Constantan is a variation of Cupro-Nickel with 55
resulting in flexible heaters. Flexible heaters offer a low mass, ultra- percent copper and 45 percent nickel. Constantan is also typically
thin heating solution that provides uniform heating with fast warm used in flex circuit applications such as strain gauges and thermo-
up. FCT can apply the heater to your device, or supply the heater with couples. Constantan also has a very low TCR.
a pressure sensitive adhesive backing to be installed at your facility.
• Inconel—There are several alloys of Inconel, but all are predomi-
Specifying your heater: nantly nickel, with chromium as a second element. Iron, Molyb-
denum, Niobium, Cobalt and other metals are used to create the
different Inconel alloys. Inconel 600 is the most commonly used
Metal Foil Inconel alloy for flexible heaters. The high resistivity makes this foil
ideal for applications that require a high resistance packed into in a
Metal foil type and thickness are driven by the overall resistance re- small area.
quirements of the heater and by the total area over which the re-
sistance must be spread. The most common metals used for flexible • Aluminum—Aluminum foil is generally chosen as a heater el-
heaters are: ement material in order to save money. The resistivity is roughly
double that of copper, and like many other pure metals it has a
• Cupro-Nickel 715—This alloy is 70% copper and 30% nickel and high TCR. It may be necessary to have control circuitry that can
has a very flat TCR (Temperature Coefficient of Resistance). This adjust to the changing resistance of the heater. Aluminum etches
alloy is typically used in applications that don’t require a high re- very quickly which makes it difficult for the manufacturer to keep
sistance density. It is possible to solder and copper plate to Cupro- tight resistance control.
Nickel.
Flexible Heaters are thin bendable elements
that can be shaped to fit your unique
heating equipment needs

Metal Type Resistivity Low TCR

Copper (reference) .661417 uohm-inch  
Cupro-Nickel 16.22047 uohm-inch X
Constantan 19.63495 uohm inch X
Inconel 40.6 uohm-inch X
Aluminum 1.10236 uomh-inch  

*Other metal foil types also available. Please contact FCT applications engineer
for assistance in selecting the appropriate resistive foil for your application.

20
 FLEXIBLE HEATERS

Insulation Type Heat Sink Adhesives

Air pockets between the heater and heat sink will
Insulation choices are driven mainly by the There are several adhesives that can be used
cause localized hot spots which can result in prema-
temperature requirements of the heater. The to bond flexible heaters to a heat sink. FCT ture heater failure.
most common insulations are: can use thermo-setting acrylic or epoxy film
adhesives to bond the heaters for you and
• Polyimide  Film  With  Acrylic  Ad- supply a turn-key assembly. Flexible heat-
hesive—The most common flexible ers can also be supplied with a wide range
heater insulation. It has a wide tempera- of pressure sensitive adhesives with release
ture range and extremely good dielectric paper backing so that you can install your
properties (.001" polyimide has a dielec- heater yourself. It is very important to mount
tric strength rating of 7700 volts). The the heater such that there are no air pockets
high dielectric strength of polyimide film between the heater and the heat sink. Air
allows the use of film thicknesses as low pockets can reduce heat transfer and create
as .001". This results in extremely fast Proper installation provides good heat transfer to
hot spots.
the heat sink.
response time and quick transfer of heat
from the heating element to the object be-
ing heated (usually referred to as the heat
sink). This material has excellent adhesion
and moderate chemical resistance.
• Polyimide Film With Epoxy Adhe-
sive—Very similar in properties to poly-
imide film with acrylic adhesive, but with
better chemical resistance.
• Polyester Film—Lower cost than poly-
imide film resulting in lower overall heater
cost.

Insulation Chart

  Temperature Rating Chemical Resistance

Polyimide/Acrylic -200 C to 150 C Fair
Polyimide/Epoxy -200 C to 150 C Good
Polyester/Acrylic -40 C to 105 C Fair

21
 FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGIES | [Link]
U.S. OPERATIONS | 9850 51st Ave. N. | Plymouth, MN 55442, USA
Sales@[Link] | Toll-free: 888-921-6167 | Phone: 763-545-3333 | Fax: 763-545-4444
WE GO WHERE OTHERS WILL NOT SHENZHEN OPERATIONS | F3 Building 6, Liantang Industrial Area | Dan Zhutou,
Long Gang District Shenzhen, CHINA 518004

XIAMEN OPERATIONS | Xiamen Haicang Zone Cheung Road 198 | Xiamen, CHINA 361006