Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1408619
72 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2021 Flex007 Article by Patrick McGoff SIEMENS DIGITAL INDUSTRIES SOFTWARE e use of flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs), whether stand-alone or to connect rigid boards, has rapidly grown over the past decade. is growth has been driven by the pro- liferation of smaller form factors of products, such as wearable electronic devices. Because of their unique properties, flex circuits require special manufacturing methods as compared to rigid PCBs and can be less tolerant of issues that negatively affect manufacturability. is article describes design-for-manufac- turing (DFM) methods for flex circuits to help identify and correct problems during design. Applying these DFM techniques can save costs and ensure the project stays on schedule. Flex circuit designs have unique properties and materials that separate them from rigid printed circuit boards (Figure 1). e flex cir- cuits' thinness makes them more delicate, and Applying DFM Analysis to Flexible PCBs Figure 1: Flexible circuits introduce new challenges compared to rigid PCBs such as bending and flexing as well as different adhesion characteristics of copper traces.