Designing a Flex Circuit for Flexibility

Flex circuits are a great alternative to traditional wiring in modern electronics. A flex circuit is lightweight, compact, resilient, and robust - attributes that make them ideal for smaller and more portable electronics in new designs, and as replacements for traditional wire harnesses and circuit boards in existing devices. Since they are flexible, there are specific requirements that must be considered for a flex circuit that differs from a traditional rigid circuit. Materials, feature placement (pins, connectors, components, etc.), circuit layout, and the number of layers in the circuit must all be considered in the design process. The degree to which the circuit will be bent, how tight the bend will be, how the bend will be made, and how frequently the circuit will be flexed are key attributes to define. By carefully defining the application and design priorities, recognizing the unique demands made upon flex circuits, and understanding the materials they are made of, the designer can work within these requirements to design and produce a successful flex circuit.