Flex/Rigid Flex
In the table below is a comprehensive list of Sunstone's key printed circuit board manufacturing capabilities.
In the table below is a comprehensive list of Sunstone's key printed circuit board manufacturing capabilities.
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When a rigid board doesn't fit in the tight space, or when connectors and wire harnesses are adding weight, bulk, and failure points , flex and rigid-flex circuits offer a cleaner path forward.
Flex circuits are printed circuit boards built on flexible substrate materials, most commonly Kapton polyimide, that allow the board to bend, fold, or conform to a shape during use or assembly.
Rigid-flex boards combine flexible circuit layers with conventional rigid sections in a single integrated structure. The result is a board that can navigate tight enclosures, bridge multiple mounting planes, and eliminate the connectors and cables that typically link separate rigid boards, without sacrificing component density or signal integrity.
Both technologies have matured significantly in recent years. Better laminate options, improved adhesive-free constructions, and advances in handling and registration have made flex and rigid-flex practical for a much wider range of programs than they were even a decade ago.
Fit electronics into curved, folded, or layered enclosures where no rigid board could go.
Eliminate bulky connectors, cable assemblies, and the extra boards that come with them.
Fewer interconnects means fewer potential failure points especially in high-vibration environments.
Conductor geometry stays uniform, giving you predictable impedance, noise, and crosstalk characteristics.
Replacing a multi-board, multi-connector assembly with a single rigid-flex often reduces assembly time and rework.
Purpose-built flex circuits can withstand millions of flex cycles in applications requiring repeated movement
ASC Sunstone supports the full range of flex and rigid-flex constructions. The right choice depends on your layer requirements, bend radius, component placement, and assembly environment.
Conductors on one side of a flexible dielectric. The simplest and most cost-effective option for straightforward interconnect applications.
Single-sided construction with selective removal of the base material to expose conductors on the reverse side for component access or soldering.
Conductors on both sides of the flexible substrate with plated through holes. More routing density without the cost of a multilayer build.
Three or more conductive layers laminated into a single flexible structure. Used when signal density or shielding requirements exceed double-sided capability.
Rigid PCB sections bonded to one or more flex layers Rigid areas host components and connectors; flex sections replace cables between them.
A specific rigid-flex architecture where multiple rigid sections are connected by continuous flex layers that fold like pages, ideal for dense, compact 3D packaging.
A specific rigid-flex architecture where multiple rigid sections are connected by continuous flex layers that fold like pages, ideal for dense, compact 3D packaging.