The difference between flexible PCB and traditional PCB and its application

As the name implies, flexible printed circuit boards have physical flexibility. These PCBs are widely used in mechanical sensitive devices because flexibility allows the circuit board to resist vibration. Compared with traditional circuit boards, flexible PCB is more durable, but its manufacturing process is sensitive and complicated.


Due to the light weight of the design, the circuit board can be packed in a small volume according to the shape of the shell, and the overall size of the final product can be reduced. Flex PCBs eliminates the overuse of wiring harnesses and connectors in PCB.

Flexible PCB application
Rigid plates add some restrictions in product design because they cannot be installed in a limited space. Circuit boards need to be vibration-resistant in products that are often subjected to mechanical impact.
Flexible PCBs are more suitable for this situation because they can be bent and wrapped if necessary. They can survive in the harsh temperature of -200 to 400 degrees Celsius. Compared with traditional circuit boards, these functions make flexible printed circuit board more reliable and durable.

Computers and accessories
Flexible PCB is very powerful in terms of signal and atmospheric conditions. The hard drive in the computer contains Flex PCB. Since these PCBs provide high data transmission rates on physically small circuit boards. Other electronic devices, such as printers, calculators and laptop LCDs, are usually designed with flexible PCB for similar reasons.

plane
Aircraft electronic systems are often jammed with cables and are light in weight. A typical Airbus contains nearly 100 kilometers of cables, while a helicopter contains about 12 kilometers of cables. There can be no compromise on the reliability and performance of aircraft systems. Flexible PCB reduces the weight and can be significantly improved even when it is subjected to mechanical impact, making it an ideal choice for aircraft.

automobile
As time goes on, automobile products become more and more compact. Flexible PCB adds compactness to its design, because no matter the shape, these PCBs can be placed in a limited space and still work efficiently. Flex PCB enables designers to produce lightweight products while maintaining product performance.

Flexible PCB is usually used in engine management computers, airbag controllers and other electronic components of automobile products. Because cars are often exposed to high temperature, which is tolerable for flexible PCB, these circuit boards have modern automobile products.

mobile phone
Mobile phones are small in size, but they have many functions. Have you ever thought about how to design dense circuits in such a compact shell? Flexible PCB can realize the synchronization of multiple components, and at the same time, it requires the least space.

Connecting a wiring harness or a rigid board for synchronizing components is disadvantageous because the size and shape of the mobile phone are limited. In addition, mobile phones will heat up, and traditional circuit boards cannot withstand high temperatures. In addition, Flex PCBs also added waterproof function in the design.

Nowadays, mobile phones and digital books are developing flexible PCB, which is a major technological breakthrough. Imagine packaging a mobile phone or bending the pages of a digital book? It is impossible to use rigid PCB. With the development of technology, flexible PCB is also developing, and it is hoped that in the near future, we can bend the mobile phone like a page.


Medical electronics
Medical electronic products need to be highly accurate and durable. Wearable devices being developed at present are usually developed by Flexible PCBs, and their flexibility makes them suitable for host use.

Today, wearable devices are used to track health. These gadgets are very compact and exquisite. Flex PCB can implant sensors on patients' skin and monitor the results on smart watches or mobile phones. The revolution of wearable medical devices is brought by flexible PCB.

It is usually necessary to place medical devices inside the human body, such as pacemakers or pill cameras, which are often exposed to extreme atmospheric conditions and flexible PCB is most suitable for this situation.

Rigid PCB is bulky, so it can't adopt shape change and low performance in high signal transmission, which makes them unfavorable for medical electronic products.

The recent research on Flex PCB enables scientists to develop Flex PCB which is more suitable for medical equipment. These PCBs are developed using organic materials to provide more suitable quality for prosthetic components. Compared with flexible traditional PCB, these boards are more flexible, which is exciting for the development of high-performance artificial limbs.

Industrial application of Flex-Rigid PCBs
Flexible PCB can withstand extreme weather conditions and perform well even in harsh environments. RF devices usually use Flex PCB design, because the robust characteristics of these PCBs make the signal strength unaffected.

In addition, industrial machines and distribution control systems also use Flex PCB.

sensor
Flex PCBs has completely changed sensors. Modern sensors are made on flexible PCB, which reduces their size. These sensors can be placed in a limited and irregular space, suitable for design or more compact products.

military equipment
Most modern military equipment uses Flex PCB such as radar system in military vehicles. The control system in military equipment needs high signal and conductive path robustness. Because the equipment must be used at extreme temperatures, weather conditions are usually unbearable for rigid PCB. In addition, military equipment is often affected by vibration and mechanical stress, which is very tolerable for flexible PCB. For these reasons, Flex PCB is most suitable for military equipment.

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