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68 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2025 Article by Tony Plemel Flexible Circuit Technologies Decisions are usually made by gathering information and differing opinions, then mak- ing the best choice based upon that informa- tion. e same process is used when designing flexible circuits and rigid-flex circuits. For example, when designing a flex circuit or rigid-flex circuit, we consider some basic factors: • Required layer count • e size and shape based upon limited space • Components on one side or both sides of a rigid or stiffened area • Electrical, mechanical needs • Layer stackup Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should ese factors need to be carefully weighed on their own merit, and on how they interact with each other, in order to arrive at the most reliable and cost-effective design. Let's say a customer comes to me with a four- layer rigid-flex circuit design where the rigid copper-clad material is on the top and the flex copper-clad is on the bottom per the stack-up shown in Figure 1. is unbalanced stackup can cause some manufacturing headaches. Circuit manufac- turing has a beaten path of manufacturability meaning there are certain quality criteria and Figure 1: Example of an unbalanced circuit design.