12 Layer Industrial Control FR4 Rigid Combination Flex PCB Board Thickness
Product Introduction
Number of layers: 12
Application field: High level medical equipment
Material: Shengyi A-grade material+FPC flexible board
Plate thickness: 2.0 ± 0.05mm
Minimum aperture: 0.1mm
Minimum line width/line spacing: 0.076mm
Copper thickness: 1OZ each on the inner and outer layers
Solder resistance: blue oil and white letters
Surface technology: sinking gold
Product features: 0.1mm laser hole+0.05mm line width
The high-end medical equipment motherboard is one of the high-end medical equipment circuit boards developed and produced by ONESEINE. It is manufactured using the Shengyi A-grade surface sinking gold production process and is widely used in the high-end server field of large hospitals and medical clinic centers
When deciding between rigid-flex and traditional rigid PCBs for a specific application, there are several key factors to consider:
1. Size and Form Factor:
- Rigid-flex PCBs offer a significant advantage in terms of size and form factor, as they allow for more compact and complex designs by enabling the integration of rigid and flexible sections.
- If the application requires a small, thin, or curved form factor, rigid-flex PCBs may be the better choice.
2. Flexibility and Interconnections:
- The ability to bend, fold, or conform the PCB is a key advantage of rigid-flex technology, making it suitable for applications where the PCB needs to be integrated into a confined or dynamic environment.
- The flexible sections in a rigid-flex PCB enable better interconnections between different parts of the design, which can be beneficial for applications with complex component layouts.
3. Weight and Density:
- Rigid-flex PCBs can help reduce the overall weight of the assembly compared to a traditional rigid PCB design, which can be crucial for applications such as portable electronics or aerospace systems.
- The ability to integrate more components and interconnections in a smaller form factor can also contribute to a higher component density.
4. Reliability and Durability:
- Rigid-flex PCBs need to be designed and manufactured with a higher level of reliability and durability in mind, as the flexible sections can be subject to bending, flexing, and other mechanical stresses.
- Applications that require the PCB to withstand frequent flexing, vibrations, or other environmental factors may benefit more from a rigid-flex design.
5. Cost and Lead Time:
- As discussed earlier, rigid-flex PCBs generally have higher costs and longer lead times compared to traditional rigid PCBs, due to the specialized materials and manufacturing processes.
- If the application can be adequately served by a rigid PCB design, and cost and lead time are critical factors, a traditional rigid PCB may be the more suitable choice.
6. Existing Infrastructure and Expertise:
- The availability of in-house or external design, manufacturing, and testing capabilities for rigid-flex PCBs should be considered.
- If the organization has extensive experience and resources for rigid-flex PCB development, it may be a more viable option.
By carefully evaluating these key factors, designers and engineers can make an informed decision on whether to choose a rigid-flex or a traditional rigid PCB design for their specific application, balancing the advantages and trade-offs of each approach.
How do the costs and lead times of rigid-flex PCBs compare to traditional rigid PCBs?
The costs and lead times of rigid-flex PCBs are generally higher compared to traditional rigid PCBs. Here's a more detailed comparison:
Costs:
- Material Costs:
- Rigid-flex PCBs require specialized materials, such as flexible polyimide or polyester films, which are more expensive than the standard FR-4 material used in rigid PCBs.
- The additional materials and layers in a rigid-flex PCB, including the interconnections, add to the overall material costs.
- Manufacturing Costs:
- The manufacturing processes for rigid-flex PCBs are more complex and require specialized equipment, which increases the production costs.
- Additional steps, such as flexible layer lamination, via drilling, and controlled impedance routing, contribute to the higher manufacturing costs.
- Yield rates can be lower for rigid-flex PCBs due to the increased complexity, leading to higher per-unit costs.
- Design and Engineering Costs:
- Designing a rigid-flex PCB requires more specialized expertise and software tools, which can increase the engineering and development costs.
- Prototyping and testing of rigid-flex designs also add to the overall costs.
As a result, the per-unit cost of a rigid-flex PCB is typically 2 to 5 times higher than a traditional rigid PCB, depending on the complexity and volume.
Lead Times:
- Longer Manufacturing Processes:
- The specialized manufacturing processes for rigid-flex PCBs, such as lamination, drilling, and plating, take more time compared to standard rigid PCBs.
- This can lead to longer lead times, typically ranging from 4 to 12 weeks, compared to 2 to 6 weeks for traditional rigid PCBs.
- Limited Supplier Capacity:
- The number of suppliers capable of manufacturing rigid-flex PCBs is relatively smaller compared to the broader rigid PCB market.
- This can result in longer lead times, especially for low-volume or specialized rigid-flex designs, as suppliers may have limited capacity.
- Increased Complexity in Supply Chain:
- The coordination and management of the supply chain for rigid-flex PCBs, including sourcing of specialized materials and components, can add to the overall lead time.
In summary, the costs and lead times for rigid-flex PCBs are significantly higher than for traditional rigid PCBs due to the specialized materials, manufacturing processes, and limited supplier capacity. However, the benefits of rigid-flex PCBs, such as their compact size, flexibility, and improved functionality, often justify the increased costs and lead times for many applications.
