Industrial Computer Rigid-Flex PCB Assembly

Why apply Rigid-Flex PCB in electronic devices design?

A rigid-flex board is a composite printed circuit board that combines the characteristics of rigid circuit boards (PCBs) and flexible circuit boards (FPCs). With its structural advantages of both rigidity and flexibility, it occupies an important position in the manufacturing of modern electronic devices. It combines the stability and load-bearing capacity of rigid boards with the flexibility and spatial adaptability of flexible boards, providing an efficient solution for complex circuit systems.

From the perspective of structural composition, rigid-flex boards consist of rigid substrates, flexible substrates, and a transition area connecting the two. The rigid substrate part usually adopts traditional epoxy resin glass cloth board, which has good mechanical strength and electrical insulation performance, can stably install electronic components, carry key parts such as integrated circuits and chips, and ensure the stable running of the circuit system. The flexible substrate mostly uses polyimide (PI) film, which is light, thin, and flexible, and can be freely bent and folded within a certain range to meet the needs of complex spatial layout inside electronic devices and achieve flexible connection between different parts. In the transition part between the rigid and flexible areas, special lamination processes and material treatments are used to tightly combine the two to ensure the reliability of electrical connection and the stability of the mechanical structure.

In terms of manufacturing process, the production flow of rigid-flex boards is more complex and precise. First, the circuit fabrication of rigid boards and flexible boards needs to be completed separately. The rigid boards use conventional processes such as drilling, electroplating, and etching to form circuit graphics; the flexible boards use photochemical etching, laser cutting and other technologies to achieve circuit formation. Subsequently, the rigid board and the flexible board are stacked, and laminated in a high-temperature and high-pressure environment using prepreg or adhesive to firmly combine the two into a whole. During this process, it is necessary to carefully control parameters such as temperature, pressure, and time to prevent defects such as delamination and air bubbles. After lamination, subsequent processes such as drilling, electroplating via filling, and surface treatment are required to meet different electrical and mechanical performance requirements.

In terms of performance advantages, the application value of rigid-flex boards is significant. Regarding space utilization, its flexible part can be flexibly routed, traversing narrow gaps and bypassing obstacles, effectively saving internal device space, and is especially suitable for electronic products with strict requirements on volume and weight, such as smartphones and wearable devices. In terms of reliability, the rigid area provides a stable installation platform for electronic components, while the flexible area can buffer stress caused by vibration and impact, reducing failures such as solder joint cracking and line breakage, and extending the service life of the device. At the same time, the rigid-flex board integrates multiple functions into one, reducing the use of connectors and cables, reducing signal transmission loss and interference, and improving the overall performance of the circuit system. Traditional signal transmission through connectors is "rigid board - connector - flexible board - connector - rigid board", while the signal transmission of rigid-flex board is reduced to "rigid board - flexible board - rigid board". The signal transmission distance is shortened, and the signal attenuation during transmission among different media can be improved. A rigid-flex board helps to improve the reliability of some products with the requirements of high-signal accuracy.

With its unique structure design, complex Manufacturing processes, and excellent performance, rigid-flex boards are widely used in high-end fields such as aerospace, medical Devices, and Automotive electronics, providing solid technical support for the miniaturization and high performance development of electronic Devices.

Kingsheng PCBA company is a rich-experienced rigid-flex PCB assembly manufacturer with fourteen fully automatic high-precision SMT production lines, having Military, Medical and IATF16949 Automotive Production Qualifications, always adhering to “Quality is root, service is soul" as philosophy. We are proud of our outstanding manufacturing capabilities with our advanced facilities and excellent engineering expertise.