Rigid-Flex PCB

Rigid-Flex PCB Manufacturing Process

Material Selection – Choosing rigid substrates (e.g., FR4) for the rigid sections and flexible materials (e.g., polyimide) for the flexible parts.

Lamination – Laminate the flexible and rigid substrates together using heat and pressure, ensuring proper bonding between layers.

Copper Foil Lamination – Bonding copper foil to both the rigid and flexible sections of the PCB.

Etching & Imaging – Using photolithography to pattern the copper layers and etching excess copper away.

Drilling – Drilling holes for vias and components, followed by plating the vias to connect the layers.

Surface Treatment – Applying surface finishes like ENIG or HASL to enhance solderability and prevent oxidation.

Testing & Inspection – Electrical, mechanical, and flexibility tests ensure performance and durability.

PCB Fabrication Services

Rigid and Flexible PCB

rigid flex PCB

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Manufacturing Features of Rigid-Flex PCB

This flexible PCB combines rigid FR4 and flexible polyimide layers, offering durability and adaptability. With 2-20 layers, it supports custom designs and features flexible layers from 12µm to 50µm. Copper thickness ranges from 0.5oz to 2oz, ideal for power needs. Adhesiveless construction ensures high reliability, while surface finishes like ENIG and HASL enhance solderability. Advanced via technologies and stiffeners provide robust mechanical support, suitable for both dynamic and static applications.

Application Fields of Rigid-Flex PCB

Rigid-Flex PCBs are widely used in high-end, compact, and dynamic electronic applications, including:

Consumer Electronics: Foldable smartphones, smartwatches, high-end gaming consoles, and peripherals
Medical Devices: Pacemakers, hearing aids, implantable medical electronics, portable diagnostic, imaging equipment
Aerospace & Defense: Satellite communication systems, avionics, military-grade navigation, radar systems, rugged handheld
Automotive Electronics: Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), in-vehicle infotainment systems, camera modules and LiDAR sensors
Industrial & Robotics: Automated control systems, industrial sensors, flexible robotic arms, precision equipment
Telecommunications: 5G antennas and base station modules, compact IoT, networking devices

SCSPCBA’s Rigid-Flex PCB Manufacturing Capabilities

PCB Board Fabrication Capabilities
PCB Board Material Selection		Process Capabilities		Specifications
Polyimide	0.0005″(12 um), 0.001(2 um),	Minimum Trace/Space	0.0015″/.002(0.33oz.) 0.002″/.0025(0.5oz.) 0.003″/.0035(1oz.)	Flex PCB Layer Number	1 to 6
PCB Thickness	0.002″(50 um), 0.003″(75 um), 0.005″(125 um)	Minimum Via Hole Diameter (before plating )	0.006″ (NC Drill) 0.002″ (UV Laser)	Rigid-flex PCB Layer Number	2 to 30
PCB Copper Thickness	0.25 oz.(9 um), 0.33 oz.(12 um), 0.5 oz.(17 um), 1 oz.(35 um), 2 oz.(70 um)	Minimum Blind Via Diameter (before plating)	0.004″ (UV Laser)	PTH Size Tolerance	PTH: ±2mil, NPTH: ±1mil
Copper Foils (rolled-annealed)	Polyimide,Polyester, LPI (liquid photo imageable), PIC(photo imageable cover coat)	Trace to Edge Distance	0.O10″ ( NC Route ) 0.008″ (Die Punch) 0.001″ (UV Laser)	PTH Position Tolerance	±2mil
Stiffeners	FR-4, Polyimide, Metal, or customer supplied	Trace to Edge Tolerance	0.O05″ ( NC Route ) 0.003″ (Die Punch) O.OO1″ (UV Laser)	Symmetrical Rigid Flex PCB Construction	3R+1F to 24R+6F
Thermo-bond Adhesives	Acrylic, Phenolic Butyral, Modified I Epoxy	Cover Layer Aperture Positional Tolerance	O.O05″ (Cover Film) 0.O02″ (LPI and PIC) O.OO1″ (Laser Ablation)	Asymmetrical Rigid Flex PCB Construction	2R+1F to 24R+6F
Surface Finishes	Solder (hot air leveling or tin/lead plating), Electrolytic Soft BondableGold, Hard Gold, ENIG (electrolessnickel immersion gold), Entek 106A,& Immersion Tin