One of the leading Rigid Flex PCB provider in China, XPCB Limited, has actually seen a current rise in flex and also rigid-flex demands from their clients. In this meeting, Allen, Vice President of Technology Solutions of XPCB Indutrial organisation unit, and VP of Corporate Advertising Ewan go over the differences in manufacturing flex versus standard PCBs, as well as the enhancing requirement for rigid-flex HDI boards.

James Gaines: Allen, can you give us a fast introduction of XPCB?

Allen: XPCB is an expert PCB makers in the China. We provide not just rigid PCBs, however additionally flex as well as flex assembly, rigid-flex, as well as EMS services.

James: Let’s speak a little bit about flex as well as rigid-flex capacities. First, given that you are concentrated on the wheelchair organisation, what type of percentage of your organisation remains in the flex and rigid-flex space?

Allen: It has to do with 20% of the commercial company.

James: Flex is certainly among the faster-growing segments. Do you see that in your total organisation also?

Allen: Particularly in 2017, we have actually seen a massive demand from the marketplace due to the fact that a great deal of people need even more flexible and trusted connections with thinner, high-density link gadgets. That’s where we see the drivers coming from. Some of them originate from the signal honesty considerations, and also others from the small assembly requirements. You can ultimately form a small tool with a lot of parts as well as 3D assembled in an extremely limited geometry with reputable signal transmissions; these are the two areas where we see individuals taking on rigid-flex and also flex.

James: You remain in a fascinating setting due to the fact that you deal with individuals integrating flex into their products.

Allen: For PCB production, we mainly manage their PCB interfaces. We rarely handle their system-level developers, but we did talk about why they require this or what they look for, so we may have some understanding.

James: We constantly listen to that cooperation from system design to the fabricator and assembler prior to making the board is important which firms would wind up with a much better item on the whole if they complied with that path. Is that the situation?

Allen: That holds true, and I agree with that factor. If the PCB manufacturer can work with consumers with early participation in regards to flex setting up or rigid flexible pcb design, that will absolutely aid the cost, top quality, and integrity of the items.

Flex product is very different than the material made use of for rigid products. There are likewise a lot of hand-operated handling processes during flex or rigid flexible pcb production. For instance, exactly how do you design the tooth cavity inside, just how do you intend to eliminate the cap of the dental caries, and also what kind of link are you trying to realize? All these factors to consider are mosting likely to be linked to the cost, high quality, and also challenge of manufacturing the FPCs. Early participation will certainly improve the understanding of the production process and the end product needs from both events as well as put considerations of manufacturability of board as well as final assembly before the item is developed. It is not uncomplicated similar to rigid PCBs; without communication and also mindful consideration, an extremely tiny design attribute that might not be required to the feature can cause a substantial problem for the maker and also can ultimately become a return as well as cost concern. It’s quite various from typical rigid PCBs we produce at other plants now.

James: Where is the growth you’re experiencing originating from? Is it coming from consumers using flex for the very first time?

Allen: From our experience, a lot of our consumers are not really utilizing flex for the first time, but instead we are seeing even more job groups within their organization begin to take on flex and rigid flexible pcb technology. Even within one organization, there may be some people who are fairly accustomed to flex products, however there might be various other groups that simply started as well as are puzzled concerning the entire process, materials residential properties, etc. From our existing scenario, I would say probably fifty percent of our customers have a good understanding of flex as well as rigid-flex PCB, as well as the various other fifty percent are much less experienced with flex/rigid-flex or are collaborating with it for the very first time.

Despite the half who recognizes flex, flex setting up, and rigid-flex PCBprocedures, their understanding of it is not as deep as their understanding of rigid PCBs. Normally it includes a great deal of our rigid-flex PCB / flex PCB field application engineers’ very early involvement initiatives to supply design appointments as well as the education they need.