Designing a flex circuit on a flat plane is one thing but conceptualizing and realizing its final three-dimensional configuration can be challenging. Contributing authors offer plenty of help and advice in this issue, and our columnists, as always, provide their perspective on a  wide range of flex and rigid-flex subjects.

Features

• Thinking and Designing in Three Dimensions by Ben Jordan
  
• TTM on Flex and Rigid-flex PCB Challenges, a conversation with Clay Zha and Winnie Ng
• Dan Gamota Discusses Flex and Alternative Substrates by the I-Connect007 Editorial Team
  
• Staying Current on Flex Manufacturing is Smart Business a conversation with Brendan Hogan
• A Few Simple Lessons in Designing Reliable 3D Flex by Joe Fjelstad
• My Flexible Story—Flex Circuit Development Through the Decades by Jan Pedersen
  

Columns

• Exotic Materials: A Prerequisite for Next-generation Flexible Circuits by Dominique Numakura
• Don’t Build Flex That Doesn’t Flex by Tara Dunn with Anaya Vardya
  
• Ways to Conserve Flex Circuit Material in the Design Process by Joe Fjelstad

Other Articles

• Designing Flex Circuits for First-Pass Success, Part 4 by Dave Lackey and Anaya Vardya
  
• Manufacturing Rigid-Flex Boards by Bob Burns
  
• Collaborative Design Using Empathy a conversation with Jeremy Blum
  
• Method for Testing FPC Materials at High Frequency by Yi-Chun Liu

Have an idea for an article or expertise of your own to share? Let us know!

This month in Flex007 Magazine we take a closer look at the ins and outs of rigid-flex from design through assembly. Our authors provide tips to help you on your journey. There are tips for everyone, whether you are interested in the design end or concerned about assembling your product.

Features

• Designing Flex Circuits for First-Pass Success: Part 3, by Dave Lackey and Anaya Vardya
• Meet All Flex’s New President and CEO, Matt Keithly, by the I-Connect007 Editorial Team
• Successful Flex Circuit Design and Processing Guidelines, by Tuan Tran
• The Shape of Things to Come: Curved, Flexible, Stretchable and Three-Dimensional Electronics, by Corné Rentrop

Columns

• The Journey into Rigid-Flex, by Patty Goldman
• Achieving Continuous Flexible Circuit Innovation, by Joe Fjelstad
• The Myth about Rigid-Flex Costs, by Tara Dunn and Anaya Vardya
• Pointers for Your First Rigid-Flex Design, by Bob Burns

This month’s cover art was inspired by some of the stories we’ve heard lately about companies that are being forced into using flexible and rigid-flex circuits. This is happening for a variety of reasons: Sometimes rigid boards won’t fit the shrinking enclosures anymore, or the company just needs a rugged, reliable circuit.

We have the flex information you need in this sophomore issue of Flex007 Magazine, the quarterly magazine dedicated to flex system designers, electrical engineers, flex PCB designers, and anyone responsible for integrating flex into their products at the OEM/CEM level.

In our first feature interview, Todd MacFadden of Bose discusses his company’s rapid expansion into the world of flex circuits—from about 90% rigid PCBs four years ago to around 66% flex and rigid-flex today—and how his team managed to get up to speed so quickly. (Hint: They communicated heavily with flex fabricators.) Next, Anaya Vardya and Dave Lackey have provided an excerpt of their recent I-Connect007 eBook The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to…Flex and Rigid-Flex Fundamentals, focusing on some of the mechanical and electrical issues that are peculiar to flex and rigid-flex design.

Then, Jarrod Schulte of Cadwell Industries explains in an interview what attracted his department to flex: the high level of reliability required by their medical devices. And in an interview with Barry Matties, Prototron Circuits President Dave Ryder and General Manager Kim O’Neil discuss their Tucson facility’s recent decision to offer flex and rigid-flex circuits, as well as some of the hurdles they’ve overcome and what OEMs are looking for in a flex supplier.

We also have columns by our regular contributors Joe Fjelstad of Verdant Electronics, John Talbot of Tramonto Circuits, Bob Burns of Printed Circuits, and Tara Dunn of Omni PCB. And this month, let’s welcome a new columnist—Jahn Stopperan of All Flex, who has taken over the All About Flex column with the retirement of his colleague Dave Becker.

Features

• Bose Ready to Take Flex into the Future: Training the New Generation of Designers, a conversation with Todd MacFadden
• Excerpt: The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to…Flex and Rigid-Flex Fundamentals, Part 2, by Dave Lackey and Anaya Vardya
• For Cadwell, Flex is the Right Prescription, a conversation with Jarrod Schulte
• Managing the Challenges of Flex and Rigid-Flex Design, by Dave Wiens
• Prototron Stretches into the Flex Arena, a conversation with Kim O’Neil and Dave Ryder

Columns

• Diving into Flexible Circuits, by Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007
• How Flex can Help Circuits Keep a Low Profile, by Joe Fjelstad, Verdant Electronics
• Acrylic vs. Epoxy Adhesives for Flexible Circuits, by John Talbot, Tramonto Circuits
• When is Rigid-Flex the Best Solution? by Bob Burns, Printed Circuits
• The Learning Curve: Your First Flex Circuit, by Tara Dunn, Omni PCB
• Flex Circuits: More Than Just a PCB, by Jahn Stopperan, All Flex

Welcome to the first issue of Flex007 Magazine. This new quarterly magazine is dedicated to flex system designers, electrical engineers, flex PCB designers, and anyone responsible for integrating flex into their products at the OEM/CEM level.

For this first issue of Flex007 Magazine, we asked some of the top flex experts to share their thoughts about flex, rigid-flex, and the overall flex market. For our first experts discussion, we spoke with Jonathan Weldon of Dupont Electronic Materials, Mark Finstad of Flexible Circuit Technologies, and Scott McCurdy and Scott Miller of Freedom CAD about how their companies approach flex and the many related issues. In our second experts discussion, John Talbot of Tramonto Circuits discusses the flex trends he’s seeing in the overall market, along with some of the uniquely demanding flex products such as extra-long flex circuits. Next, Kelly Dack, CID+, gives us a review of his CID class’s trip to Streamline Circuits, and their exploration of flex fabrication processes.

From Dave Lackey and Anaya Vardya of American Standard Circuits, we have an excerpt from their I-Connect007 eBook, The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to Flex and Rigid-Flex Fundamentals. And Steve Robinson of APCT explains his plans for the future after acquiring new flex and rigid-flex capabilities with his acquisition of Cartel’s subsidiary Cirtech.

Joe Fjelstad marks the return of his column Flexible Thinking with a discussion about how much flexible circuits have changed over the years. In John Talbot’s column Consider This, he explains how to handle returned material authorizations. In All About Flex, Dave Becker shares a variety of ways that flex traces can fracture, and some solutions for keeping fractures away. And in his new column Flex Time, Bob Burns of Printed Circuits breaks down some of the many reasons that rigid-flex is so expensive compared to rigid and regular flex circuits.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features

• Expert Discussion: The Flex Technologists Speak, a conversation with Jonathan Weldon, Mark Finstad, Scott McCurdy, and Scott Miller
• Expert Discussion with John Talbot, Tramonto Circuits, a conversation with John Talbot
• Field Trip: CID Class Sees How Flex is Made at Streamline Circuits, by Kelly Dack
• Excerpt: The Printed Circuit Designers’ Guide to Flex and Rigid-Flex Fundamentals, by Dave Lackey and Anaya Vardya
• APCT Moves into Rigid-Flex with Cartel, Cirtech Acquisition, a conversation with Steve Robinson

Columns

• Got Flex? by Andy Shaughnessy
• Flexible Thinking Redux, by Joe Fjelstad, Verdant Electronics
• RMAs: Negative Experience or Valuable Opportunity, by John Talbot, Tramonto Circuits
• Causes of Trace Fracturing in Flexible Circuits, by Dave Becker, All Flex
• Something New for Everyone, (an excerpt) by Tara Dunn
• Why is Rigid-Flex So Expensive? by Bob Burns, Printed Circuits

How does one get from the concept and design of a flex circuit to the final product, especially when that product is pushing the limits of technology, is an unusual shape, has a short time-to-market, or all of the above? We have articles and columns to help with that, but the main takeaway is: Team up with your supplier and customer and work together for the optimal solution. Plus, in this issue you’ll learn more about 3D printing and how it fits with flex.

Features

• From Start to Finish
• How to Get From Here to There
• Learning to Be More Flexible: Case Studies on Improving FPC Design
• Collaboratively Creating Wearable Medical Products
• The GraftWorx Fluid Management Patch Story

Other Articles and Columns

• Alternative Constructions in Rigid-flex Designs
• DuPont on New Beginnings and Empowering the Industry
• FlexFactor Program Informs, Inspires, Attracts, and Recruits Talent
• Creating Smart Surfaces With Electronic Functionality
• Growing Opportunities With 3D Printed Electronics