Flex circuits: design tips and assembly considerations

A flex circuit, also known as a flexible electronic or a flex board, is both a product and a type of PCB technology. This technology allows for the mounting of electronic devices and circuits on flexible substrates. Flex circuits are similar to Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) in terms of their ultimate function which is connecting various electrical and mechanical components together. However, flex circuits, as the name implies, are flexible which yields many benefits over their traditional PCB cousins. Due to the flexible PCB technology, certain design and assembly considerations must be accounted for. Fortunately, the design rules for flex circuits are very similar to the design rules for traditional PCBs. That is, the designer must pay attention to certain design aspects.