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26 The PCB Magazine • April 2015 additional process engineering to implement core FPC processing into HDI rigid-flex designs now required by our customers with wearable and IoT circuit and module designs. HDI: Enabling Technology for the Intelligence of Things Flextronics has recognized that IoT is rap- idly evolving to The Intelligence of Things to become a new ecosystem of smart, connected devices, machines and systems that interact to deliver greater capabilities, efficiencies, and ex- periences are changing the way we live, work and play. The innovation landscape driving The Intelligence of Things will increasingly propagate smart, connected products due to the adaptation of the core HDI interconnect platforms of rigid and flexible PCBs . Miniaturization: HDI enabled the miniaturization of the printed circuit to address the demand for in- creasing functionality yet smaller form factors in mobile communication devices (i.e. cell- phones and tablets). Another driving factor for HDI is increasing power requirements result- ing from the additional functionality and also the growing size of the color display. These ad- ditional power requirements resulted in larger battery footprints. This accelerated the HDI adoption as the larger battery dimensions were expanding and the PCB size needed to shrink to accommodate the overall product outline. Early cellphone PCBs were X layer, standard thru- hole via technology and X mil lines and space Figure 4: every layer interconnect connection, 8-layer rigid. Figures 5: Stack-up of actual rFPCs using HDI technology in automotive application. HIGH-DENSITy INTERCONNECTS: ENABLING THE INTELLIGENCE OF THINGS continues FeAture