Or how to interconnect in multiples planes without needing separate connections.

The world is getting smaller. That’s not to say it is physically shrinking, or human dieting methods have thoroughly improved our waistlines, of course. The world is getting smaller because of the miniaturization of technological devices and the popularization of newly portable machines.

While mass adoption of mobile technologies has added convenience to our lives, it presents a challenge for engineers and designers who make these technologies possible. In this increasingly smaller world, product and industrial designers must find new ways to fit more features and technologies into progressively thinner and smaller form factors. We believe the best solution for this dilemma is flex (flexible circuitry).

The conception of flex circuit technology can be traced to Thomas Edison. Initially, flex was used in military applications, but gradually it has been adopted for use in consumer electronics. Traditionally, flex has found a home in devices with moving parts, flexible shapes or as jumpers. But recently it has found a new use: as an aid in the miniaturization of electronic devices. Simply put, flex helps designers cram more hardware into smaller spaces and is now being used as an active part of the circuit design. More components of ever-increasing complexity are now mounted on flex.

In recent years, advances in flex technologies have led to new, remarkable, integrated features many of us already take for granted. Designers using flex can incorporate intricate component assemblies such as advanced sensors and even tiny optical devices in their machines. Perhaps that’s why the market for flex is strong and growing. In February, research firm Prismark Partners estimated the flex circuit assembly market would nearly double from 2009 levels of $31.1 billion to roughly $61.3 billion in 2015. Likewise, a 2011 report by the Japan Marketing Survey Co. estimated that, due to many factors – including a greater adoption of mobile phones, tablets and other devices – flex demand would grow more than 40% by 2015. Smartphones, tablets and small devices packed with intricate pieces of hardware are an ideal outlet to maximize advanced flex technologies. But flex adoption is growing in other sectors as well. Both reports project significant flex growth in HDD, mobile electronics, optical pickup modules, LCD displays, PCs, home appliances, automotive products and medical devices.

Why flex?

So why flex? Flex provides certain advantages over other design options. These include:

• Increased portability – reduced weight and size.
• Increased functionality, usability and sophistication through creative 3D packaging solutions.
• Dynamic performance, such as flip and slider mechanisms.
• Fitting more into less, while maintaining list pricing.

It would be safe to assume that most readers use a mobile device, the most common being a cellphone. To go further, it may be safe to assume that most PCD&F readers have smartphones. Due to remarkable advances, these devices are essentially pocket-sized computers with significantly advanced hardware. The modern smartphone may contain the following items: screens, two cameras, SIMslot, speakers, memory, RAM, USB and other jacks, microphone, gyroscope, accelerometer, other sensors, and buttons. How do these designers cram all of these advanced items into the palm of your hand? Flex technology is a significant enabler.
Flex enables design engineers to implement all these connections in multiple planes, not just one flat surface. This significantly reduces the area needed to interconnect. Think of it this way: A table top, like a rigid circuit board, is two-dimensional. There are no shortcuts; we cannot connect one section to another without going around a different section. Flex solves the problem by adding a third dimension into the equation. And just as important, the flex circuit area can also be used to mount components on, freeing up more space. Designers can now bypass these initial 2D constraints by connecting over and under. This is the potential of flex – letting engineers interconnect in multiples planes without needing separate connections. We call this a 3D packaging solution. It minimizes design constraints and therefore maximizes design possibilities – and it is thin and light.

Engineers are challenged to find ways to create ever smaller devices with far more capabilities. Tomorrow’s mobile devices will contain even more sophisticated sensors for biometrics, environment, fingerprints, physiology and health. Engineers must find design solutions to meet this challenge.

We believe flex has the solution, and we encourage design engineers and the larger supply chain to proactively consider flex technology as an enabler for 3D packaging solutions, instead of using flex technology as an afterthought (e.g., a jumper cable).

Flex is not the only reason devices have become thinner, smaller and lighter, but the 3D capabilities flex affords have been enabling the mobile revolution.

Jay Desai is director of marketing at MFLEX (mflex.com); This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..