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12 FLEX007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2018 Single- and Double-Sided Flex Single-layer flex, flex with one layer of copper, is a place many new to flexible circuits start. This is used when all conductors can be routed on one layer of copper. This may be replacing wire, solving a packaging problem or even be used for aesthetic reasons in a package that will be visible to the end user. When circuitry can't be routed on a single layer, or shielding is needed, the progression is to move to double-sided (two copper layers) flex, or even multilayer flex. Tara Dunn is the president of Omni PCB, a manufacturer's rep firm specializing in the printed circuit board industry. To read past columns or to contact Dunn, click here. which the term "flex hybrid electronics" has been applied. This is another area of increas- ing interest, and the U.S. government has sponsored research and development by both corporations (manufacturers of both materials and finished products) along with a number Institutions of higher learning. There is no real bright line between an assembled flexible cir- cuit and a flex hybrid electronic assembly, but it really does not matter if it helps bring into focus the numerous advantages that can be secured by the integration of flexible intercon- nections and components. One of the centers for information gathering and investigation into materials and processes is NextFlex, in Silicon Valley. A little over two years old, NextFlex is rapidly getting the word out and facilitating consortium members' communications and interaction to flesh out the possibilities in a world where electronics are increasingly being integrated into an ever- expanding universe of creative applications, from the whimsical to the highly practical. It should be evident that there will be a lot of subjects that can be covered in the world of flexible circuits and this space will be used to explore as many as possible in the future. It is a shared objective of the entirety of this new publication created in service to the electronics industry. I see this space as a shared one and your indi- vidual comments, questions and suggestions are not just welcomed but actively requested. Please feel free to share with me or the editors any thoughts relative to what you might want to see covered in the coming issues, and I will do my best to address the subject matter in a future column. Again, welcome one and all and I look for- ward to sharing the path to growth and discov- ery that lies ahead. FLEX007 Joe Fjelstad is founder and CEO of Verdant Electronics and an interna- tional authority and innovator in the field of electronic interconnection and packaging technologies, with more than 150 patents issued or pending. To reach Fjelstad, click here. Just the other day, I was recording a podcast with Altium discussing flexible circuit cost drivers. During that discussion, I was asked a question about what I see as a trend in the market. My first thought was that I am seeing an increase in frequency of questions coming from people that are just new to flex and rigid-flex design. There are enough idiosyncrasies with flex that people are a little unsure and are reaching out with questions. Around this same time, I had been contemplating what would be a good topic to write about for the "New Technology" theme of the March issue of PCB007 Magazine. The light bulb went off; there is such a range of experiences one can have with flex and rigid-flex that even more experienced users can feel like they are working with it for the first time, when in fact they're not. Imagine what it's like for people who are totally unfamiliar with it! So at the end of the day, brand new to flex and flex-rigid or not, most people who use it feel like they are working with new technology. Something New for Everyone Flex Talk by Tara Dunn (Continue reading at Flex007.com)