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PCB Tech

PCB Tech - 10 tips for choosing a manufacturer of flexible printed circuit boards

PCB Tech

PCB Tech - 10 tips for choosing a manufacturer of flexible printed circuit boards

10 tips for choosing a manufacturer of flexible printed circuit boards

2021-11-11
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Author:Downs

Printed circuit boards appear as an undeniable combination, forming the spinal cord of electronic devices, providing seamless intra-board connection and compatibility between daughter board and motherboard.


There are three main types of PCBs, including rigid PCBs, rigid flex PCBs and flexible PCBs. Flexible PCBs have an advantage in terms of demand and usage as they are widely used in a number of electronic devices. Even better, they can be easily twisted or bent while still functioning as expected. So how do you choose the best flexible circuit manufacturer?


Do they have flexible PCB manufacturing facilities?

Reliable flexible PCB manufacturers invest in cutting-edge technology and modern equipment to provide their customers with high-quality flexible pcb.


If you are looking for the best flexible PCB manufacturer in the market, make sure you work with companies that choose and invest in the right equipment. These companies can provide you with high-quality flexible printed circuit boards. Reliable PCB manufacturers aim to increase efficiency and maintain quality by investing in their manufacturing equipment.

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Does your potential flexible PCB manufacturer have PCB inspectors, drilling tools, vision equipment, surface finishing tools, etc.? The right flex circuit manufacturers are the ones who invest in the best and latest right PCB service providers and invest time. Fortunately, there are various PCB manufacturing equipment.


Are there flexible PCB technicians?

If you don't know, flexible PCB manufacturing requires the use of advanced manufacturing processes. There are many steps before the final product is ready, and not all PCB companies are skilled enough to produce high-quality flexible PCBs.


Manufacturing flexible printed circuit boards requires skilled technicians who can produce high-quality flexible printed circuit boards on demand. Does your potential manufacturer have a team of technicians who can produce high quality PCBs for you? If not, you better find a company with flex PCB technicians because these boards are critical to the functionality of your devices.


Manufacturer of flexible circuits

Like everything else, quality is important. When it comes to flexible circuit boards, the first thing you need to consider is the quality of the product. You need to choose a flexible circuit board manufacturer based on the criteria they provide. The flexible PCB you want to buy should have long-term durability, high-density design, high-speed communication lines and high conductivity. If necessary, you can use electronic testing to verify the quality of flexible printed circuit boards.


Certifications and standards

Suitable flexible PCB manufacturers strictly adhere to UL, ISO and IPC rules, etc. When looking for a suitable flexible PCB manufacturer in the market, you need to make sure that they are certified and adhere to some established rules and regulations.


For example, you should look for certifications such as UL 94V-0 fire safety certification. UL 94V-0 fire safety certification is something you should not forget when buying flexible PCBs. For safety reasons, avoid dealing with flexible PCB manufacturers who do not issue you with a certificate of conformity.


Able to produce Flex PCB according to the shape you need

Flexible PCBs are an ideal choice as they can be adapted to a variety of applications, meaning they come in different shapes and sizes. Is your flexible PCB manufacturer able to produce PCBs in the shape you require? Flexible PCBs used in military equipment are different from flexible PCBs used in the medical field. Suitable flex PCB manufacturers can produce flex PCBs according to different shapes or according to customer needs.


Flexible circuit manufacturers - the price of flexible PCBs

For almost all PCBs, production costs vary depending on quality and design standards. Certain factors (such as solder mask or substrate) may change. These will largely affect the final price of the product. Therefore, you need to find a balance between quality and cost before you buy. Don't spend a dime before you think about it.


Similarly, the right flexible PCB manufacturers are the ones that can even reduce manufacturing costs by a few dollars. Although the number of layers is directly proportional to the cost, a suitable flexible PCB manufacturer can reduce the manufacturing cost for customers.


However, those who do not have the budget can easily invest in the well-known expensive high-quality flexible circuit boards.


Flexible circuit manufacturer - able to provide models for successful production


Before the company goes into full production, it must ensure that its PCBs work as expected. Since PCB is an integral part of many electrical devices, it can be very expensive if it malfunctions after full production.


The best flexible PCB manufacturers can provide their customers with a mock-up for testing before the final product goes to market. With a mockup, flexible PCB manufacturers get feedback from their customers on what is right and what needs to be changed or adjusted.


They need to work with a manufacturing company that provides customers with flexible PCB models for testing. Although this is good for the customer, the company will also win because the sooner they find problems and issues in the model, the lower the cost.


Flexible circuit manufacturers - able to provide multiple types of components


Manufacturers can design many types of flexible circuit boards according to customer requirements. Some of the most common are single-sided flexible PCBs, double-sided flexible PCBs and multilayer flexible PCBs. No matter what type of flexible PCBs you use, your manufacturer should be able to produce them easily.


Similarly, based on the structure of the flexible PCB, the manufacturing company should be able to use different materials that contribute to the flexible PCB. Can your flexible PCB manufacturer provide multiple types of components? If yes, then you can deal with them.


Flexible circuit manufacturer-flexible printed circuit board testing


Testing is an important step in ensuring the function and integrity of flexible PCBs. Failure to test flexible PCBs can result in manufacturing companies releasing PCBs to the market that will not perform as expected or will fail in the long run. PCB testing can help manufacturing companies identify and correct PCB failures early.


Several different types of flexible printed circuit boards are tested, such as online tests, fixerless online tests, functional circuit tests and boundary scan tests. The relevant flexible PCB manufacturer can test the PCB before it is marketed. This type of testing can identify defects, which can help flexible PCB manufacturers save costs. In addition, flexible PCB testing ensures that customers receive the right product that can function properly.


Some of the best manufacturers are those that do not have long test cycles. Short and accurate manufacturers are those with fast but accurate test cycles.


China offers the best value for flexible circuit manufacturers


If you want to have the best flexible circuit boards that can work on demand, you may need to work with or buy from Chinese manufacturers. China has become the world's largest country offering PCB manufacturing, and flexible PCBs are one of them.


China's PCB manufacturing is higher than other countries in the world because China has abundant resources to support the production of electronic products and has a stable economic and political environment.In addition,China is constantly striving to transform "Made in China" into "Created in China".