I have never messed with/designed a FPC board before..
I am thinking of giving it a go since iTeadStudio/iMall now offers it..
however.. I am not clear on how you assemble these after getting the 'pcb's'??
can they be re-flowed like normal PCB's?
thanks..
Probably best to ask itead about that. Wouldn't want to melt it. Send e-mail to sunny@iteadstudio.com
FPC boards are made on a Kapton (Polyimide)-substrate which can tolerate standard RoHS soldering conditions, so it's not too different from standard FR4 Fiberglass PCB's.
You won't be able to melt it with a soldering iron ...
Use standard soldering practices when soldering FPC and you'll be just fine.
// Per.
Surface mount ceramic capacitors are prone to cracking once they are soldered down. When the board flexes, it causes the rigid ceramic to flex, generating an internal crack.
This is an issue on "stiff" PCBs, so you can imagine it is also an issue on flexible circuit "board" material.
Make sure you use ceramic capacitors that have a "flexterm", "flexible termination", or "polyterm" (different manufacturers call it different things). Its an epoxy added to the terminations to allow the solder joint to flex, without transmitting the mechanical strain to the ceramic body.
Distributors like Mouser generally let you select these as a search filter.
thanks..
got the reply from iTead as well..
"Hi
FPC could be used in re-flow oven, The highest temperature should be about 230? , it will not melt under this temperature."
And 230C is about the peak for reflow of solder paste as well.
CrossRoads:
And 230C is about the peak for reflow of solder paste as well.
For leaded(Pb) paste.
Lead(Pb)-free paste peaks closer to 260C.