IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1545855
82 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2026 TA RG E T C O N D I T I O N D isplays and illuminated human-machine interfaces have become essential com- ponents of modern electronic systems. From aircraft cockpits and mission-control displays to medical equipment, industrial controls, and con- sumer devices, we depend on these visual interfac- es to interact with technology. As display systems become thinner, lighter, brighter, and more integrated, we need flexible and rigid-flex circuit technologies as critical enablers. I recently spoke with Pioneer Circuits' Applications Engineer Dan Hansler, and Sales and Marketing Director Ruben Lugo about how decades of aero- space and defense (A&D) experience are influ- encing today's lighting and display designs. Kelly Dack: Dan and Ruben, why are flexible and rigid-flex circuits so important in high-tech lighting and display applications? Dan Hansler: Modern displays are much more than screens. Behind every display is a network of supporting electronics that may include LED back- lighting, display drivers, touch sensors, processors, communications interfaces, and power manage- ment circuitry. In many applications, these elements cannot occupy the same physical space. Flexible and rigid-flex circuits provide an efficient way to connect these sub-systems while reducing weight, minimizing assembly complexity, and elimi- nating many of the connectors and cable assem- blies that can become reliability concerns over time. This is especially important in A&D systems, where displays are often integrated into highly constrained mechanical environments such as cockpit instrument panels, heads-up displays, mission computers, control consoles, and oper- ator interfaces. The same technologies are now being applied to automotive displays, medical equipment, industrial controls, and next-generation consumer electronics. BY K E L LY DAC K , C I T C I D + Flex and Rigid-flex Solutions in A&D Display Electronics