Rigid Flex PCB Basic Layout Guidelines

Follow Our Rigid-Flex PCB Basic Layout Guidelines for Success

Power Design Services produces durable rigid-flex PCBs that meet today’s challenge of flawless performance in applications for all types of industries.

A hybrid of the best attributes of rigid and flex circuits, rigid-flex circuits and printed circuit boards perform at a higher level than conventional rigid circuits while taking up less space. Businesses in the aerospace, medical, automotive, military, and consumer electronics sectors increasingly use the versatile rigid-flex PCB.

The Dark Side of PCB Assembly – Counterfeit Parts

Counterfeiting is a high-profile problem in many industries, from retail fashion to luxury goods and even the pharmaceutical sector.

But few people realize just how big a problem counterfeiting is for manufacturers that rely on parts suppliers to deliver components and integrated circuits. The global electronics components supply industry does not have powerful checks or balances in place for preventing counterfeit components from reaching manufacturers.

PCB Assembly with Obsolete Parts and Hard-to-Find Components

How important is an efficient supply chain for electronics manufacturing?

Many companies take their supply chain for granted until they need an obsolete part or a hard-to-find component. Then the importance of having resourceful contract manufacturing partners becomes an incredibly valuable asset.

Almost every contract manufacturer will eventually run into parts availability issues. The method by which contract manufacturers resolve these needs show their professionalism and commitment to generating value for their clients.

Five Requirements for Full Electronic Development Partners

To create an innovative electronic product that excites consumers, your business needs the help of other companies in various associated industries.

Selecting those development allies can be arduous. A single misstep can delay or even derail the best-laid plans for transforming an original idea into a market-ready product.

Making a Rigid Industry More Flexible

Why would printed circuit board (PCB) engineers turn a rigid board into a flex circuit?

Up until a decade ago, they wouldn’t.

Even if product schematics called for a flexible PCB design, engineers of yesteryear would usually just connect two or three small rigid boards with cables and approximate the shape of the flex circuit desired.

What Makes Flex Circuit Assembly Different?

Every product with an on/off switch has some kind of circuit board inside of it.

For the most part, manufacturers and consumers are used to seeing circuit boards in their traditional format – flat, rectangular boards inserted into flat, rectangular products like televisions and laptop computers.

But new ergonomic product designs and the proliferation of wearable tech are changing the game for manufacturers.

Building Custom Cables to Meet Your Applications

Building custom cables to meet the application needs of a client is common practice at Power Design Services.

Our ability to customize cable assemblies is great news for many of our clients who are new to product development. Seeking to avoid taking on an “electrical engineering” project themselves, they are often initially dismayed to learn that other companies that manufacture large amounts of cable are unable or unwilling to handle their small-scale specifications.

However, Power Design Services specializes in orders for printed circuit board prototypes and small to medium sized

Sometimes Hand Assembly of PCBs Makes Sense

Power Design Services and other reputable PCB contractors fabricate the great majority of printed circuit boards through automated processes. The efficiency of automation has lowered overall costs, cut production time and results in PCBs of consistently high quality.

However, even in these days of automated production, there are still instances when hand assembly of PCBs makes sense.

When to Outsource Reworking Integrated Circuits on a PCB

The days when beginner-level soldering was suitable for reworking integrated circuits (ICs) on a PCB are long gone. Reworking modern PCBs often requires expert attention and surgical precision.

Additionally, ball grid arrays, quad flat no-leads packages, and other common technologies typically require specialized equipment that manufacturers simply don’t have at hand.

New Product Introductions and Prototypes from a Company Built for Speed

The success of new product introduction (NPI) and prototypes in the electronics industry boils down to two major factors:

1. Skillful development, and
2. Minimizing the time from initial concept to market arrival

Power Design Services opened its doors in 2003 with the revolutionary idea of providing a quick and effective process for NPIs and prototype creation. Our founders were optimistic Silicon Valley veterans who believed that they could build a company to fill this valuable niche in a hyper-competitive industry.