Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1523825
46 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2024 Small, thin, rigid circuit boards, carrier- backed flexible circuits, as well as rigid-flex cir- cuits, are ideal candidates for panel processing. e following five examples represent com- mon multiple-unit panel layout variations: • Single row format (side by side of uniform shaped boards) • Nested single-row format (alternating sides) • Simple array format (row and column layout) • Nested array format (maximizing area utilization) • Opposing orientation array format (minimizing material waste) Note: e final configuration of the multiple- unit panel will require input from the circuit board manufacturer (supplier) and the assem- bly process specialists (user) responsible for producing the end product. From their input, the designer can prepare the documentation showing the agreed-upon panel configuration. In closing, the circuit board design special- ist will find that the IPC-CFX standard means that the factory and circuit board designer can be fully "connected" through the CAD system used in developing the circuit board and all the machines and soware used in the assem- bly process. For more details regarding CFX protocols, visit IPC to learn more about how IPC-2591 is enabling "plug and play" IoT com- munication across the manufacturing envi- ronment, where all equipment, manufactur- ing processes, and transactional stations can communicate without the need for specialized soware. DESIGN007 References 1. IPC-2591, Connected Factory Exchange (CFX), ipc.org. Vern Solberg is an indepen- dent technical consultant, specializing in SMT and microelectronics design and manufacturing technology. To read past columns, click here. Figure 4: Panel processing small and/or odd- shaped PCBs.