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PCB007-June2019

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38 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2019 ible tail areas aid in packaging. This is becom- ing more and more important as we are chal- lenged to fit more sophisticated electronics into smaller and smaller spaces. This sample also shows the crosshatch copper pattern in the bend areas to improve the flexibility of the design. Figure 10 is also a rigid-flex design, which is a little more complex with various tails split- ting off from the main flex area. This is an ex- cellent use of imagination and fits well with rigid-flex capabilities. Again, you can again see the crosshatch copper pattern to improve flex- ibility in the photo. What you cannot see in is the strain relief added to each section area that has a flex tail or the fact that this design will ultimately be packaged with four different bending and folding areas and the tail being routed in all directions. Figure 11 is one final rigid-flex design that also shows the power of flex and the potential for packaging solutions. You could imagine this rigid-flex moving up and over a fixed piece in the unit while connecting complex electronics. This is an excellent use of rigid-flex to solve a packaging issue. Flex and rigid-flex design is one of those things that allows engineers and designers to be both creative and science-driven at the same time. Hopefully, seeing some of these samples will help spark some new and creative options for solutions that need flex and rigid- flex to solve their space, weight, and packag- ing constraints. PCB007 Tara Dunn is the president of Omni PCB, a manufacturer's rep firm specializing in the PCB industry. To read past columns or contact Dunn, click here. Figure 10. Figure 11.

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