Within one of the presentations last week at the IPC Technology Interchange in Washington D.C., the question was raised of whether printed circuit board technology will reach a plateau or whether it will continue to keep pace with the technological demands and innovations to come.  Restated, the question could be:  as trace widths get smaller, nanotechnology improves, and demand for greater performance continues to increase – when/where/will PCB technology hit a plateau?
This is a complex question with a large number of factors.  One focus of the discussion could be on …

Etsy.com is “your place to buy & sell things handmade.”
Whether you are a novice artist looking to make a little extra money on the side selling things you’ve made, or if you are a broker of handmade and unique products, Etsy.com is a great resource.
I came across some really cool looking products made from recycled circuit boards. From Earrings to desk organizers, there is a plethora of creative, useful, and artistic items that have been put up for sale.  I’m sure that I will be following the site as different …

Flex Circuits Overview

APPLICATIONS

Static v. Flex to Fit:

Static; the flex circuit is installed flat between two or more stationary parts.

Flex to fit; the flex circuit is bent or molded into position then installed between two or more stationary part.

Dynamic:

The flex circuit is installed between one or more moving parts.

Bend radius:

Single-sided flex 6X circuit thickness.
Double-sided flex 10X circuit thickness.
Multilayer flex 10-15X circuit thickness.
Dynamic Application 20X circuit thickness.

FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT MATERIALS

Pyralux LF Military/Commercial Adhesive Based.

IPC CERTIFIED CLASS 3
FC 241/1 CLADS
FC 232/1 CS/BP
FC 232/18 ADHESIVE
…

It is amazing how flexible circuits allow intricate and complex electronics continue to decrease in size.  As flex and rigid-flex are developed, unique applications will continue to arise.  This picture really makes you wonder how complex in the inner workings of our most common, taken for granted, electronics are.

The following article can be found it its original form at this link.
Extreme-resolution microflex processes enable a reduction in conductive trace width and pitch that opens a door for miniature-scale microcircuits used in medical devices.

Written by Luke Volpe – director of engineering at Dynamics Research Corp.’s Metrigraphics division (Wilmington, MA).

Microflex circuitry can drive development programs for medical implants.

Technological advances in the medical field often hinge on the ability to create viable components and devices that are chemically compatible to human tissue and small enough to suit the internal workings of …