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12 FLEX007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2018 Since their introduction, flexible circuits have continued a steady climb from relative obscurity to center stage in the world of electronic inter- connections. Today, they are among the most popular choice for solving challeng- ing electronic interconnection prob- lems. Those who use this technol- ogy on a regular basis are famil- iar with the many reasons for the popularity of flex. Flex circuits are thin and light; they can be bent, folded, or flexed. When chal- lenged, they can offer superior elec- trical performance due in part to the different polymers used as substrates. In short, flex circuits provide highly reli- able interconnection structures that make possible solutions, which cannot be achieved by any other method (at least not as easily). With such an impressive list of benefits already available, it might seem as though flex circuit technology has already reached its lim- its. However, the basic principle of continuous improvement is that it does not rest. Improve- ment demands that we persist in our efforts to find ways to make flex circuit materials and pro- cesses still better. President John F. Kennedy made famous the words of George Bernard Shaw: "Some people see things that are and ask, 'Why?' I dream things that never were and say, 'Why not?'" It is evident from the order of his state- ment that Shaw appreci- ated the importance of first asking "Why?" For young children, "Why?" is a hall- mark question as they try to com- prehend the com- plex world about them. But Shaw seems to have intuited that without that important and fun- damental question, the equally important question "Why not?" has no place to start. "Why not?" sparks an inventive spirit. The inno- vator is often very familiar with the question "Why not?" and, in many cases, has made it a touchstone for their innovations by seeing the unseen before being manifested into reality. Flexible Thinking by Joe Fjelstad, VERDANT ELECTRONICS Achieving Continuous Flexible Circuit Innovation