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Single Layer Flex PCB: Step By Step Guide 2023

Single-Layer PCB: What Is It?

Single-sided or single-layer printed circuit boards (PCBs) have electronic circuitry “printed” on only one side using conductive materials. A lot of applications still use single-layer PCB, which initially emerged in 1950.

Single-layer PCBs are the simplest to use out of all the many types of printed circuit boards. Single-sided flexible PCBs are single-sided flexible PCBs with polyimide (PI) copper-clad laminates, whereas single-sided rigid PCBs are single-sided circuit boards with copper foil and glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin.

A single-sided rigid PCB has a lower manufacturing cost than a single-sided flexible PCB.

Single Layer Flex PCB Manufacturer’s Capability:

when you are designing your flexible printed circuit boards, you may need to know the capability of the flex (FPC) board manufacturer’s capability, please see the below table of FX PCB:

Items   mass-production low volume
The layer of flex board 1-16L 1-30L
PCB Thickness ≤0.4mm /
Line width/Line space inner layer 3mil/3mil (Hoz) 2.5mil/2.5mil (Hoz)
outer layer 4mil/4mil (1Oz) 3mil/3mil (1Oz)
Annular Ring ≥4mil /
BGA 0.15mm BGA 0.15mm BGA
Tolerance of outline  (board edge to board edge) +/-0.025mm /
Tolerance of outline  (Mark  to board edge) +/-0.05mm +/-0.025mm
Impedance control +/-10% /
Drilling machine drilling ≥8mil 6mil
laser drilling 5mil/6mil 4mil
Surface coating  ENIG, OSP,Immesion Silver, Immerision Tin

 

How Do Flexible PCBs Work?

A flexible printed circuit comprised of flexible insulating substrates like polyester and polyimide film is known as a flexible PCB, also known as flexible electronics, or FPC for short. Engineers and PCB designers have more options because of flexible circuits.

The flexible PCB has been widely employed because it can offer outstanding electrical performance for electronic products and satisfy the design requirements of downsizing and high-density mounting of electronic devices.

Similar to rigid PCBs, flexible circuits can be split into single-sided, double-sided, and multilayer flexible circuit boards depending on how many circuit layers are present.

What Is a Flexible Single-sided PCB?

Generally speaking, a cover layer or other protective coating can be used in the manufacturing of single-sided flexible PCBs. Single-sided PI copper-clad laminate is used in single-layer flexible PCBs. It is typically copper foil that has had conductive patterns chemically etched into it. After the circuit is finished, it is finally covered with a layer of covering film.

The cover layer, also known as the protective layer, serves as the circuit’s shield and is often found on the flexible circuit’s “top layer,” creating a flexible circuit board with just one layer of conductors.

The base film can be designed with through holes that the single-sided flexible circuit board can use to let the pins of electronic components pass through. As this circuit can only access the component termination function from one side, it achieves electrical contact through welding.

Single-sided flexible PCBs can be made using polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, aramid cellulose ester, or polyvinyl chloride as the insulating substrate. In regions where rigidity is needed, reinforcement ribs can also be added to the single-sided flexible circuit to strengthen its rigidity.

The simplest and most affordable type of flexible circuit board to manufacture is the single-sided model. When single-sided wiring is necessary, a single-sided flexible PCB should be used. A single-sided flexible PCB is extremely cost-effective as a result.

How can a single layer printed circuit board be constructed?

Insulating fiberglass with a compact appearance and PCB strength makes up the base material, which is also referred to as the substrate. Additionally, whether the board is a flexible PCB or a rigid PCB affects the type and nature of the base material.

On the board, above the substrate, there is a copper layer that serves as a conducting channel for various components. Naturally, different boards have different copper thicknesses that are measured in ounces per square foot and are determined by your wants and requirements.

On one hand, copper foil is covered with a solder mask layer. The layer’s principal purpose is to keep the copper foil from insulating, which prevents conduction in the event that it comes into direct contact with some conducting material.

The silkscreen layer, which is on top of the other layers and is mostly used to put characters and symbols on the board, makes it simpler to grasp the board.

How Many Types of Single Layer PCB Are There?

Single-layer rigid PCBs:

 These are a particular kind of single layer PCB that are constructed from a rigid material, like fiberglass. Although the circuit boards are rigid, they keep the circuit from bending and breaking. They are now utilized for many different kinds of equipment, such as power supply, calculators, and so forth.

Single Layer flexible PCBs:

These are the kinds of single-layer PCBs that use flexible materials as opposed to stiff ones. Additionally, they make use of plastic materials. Additionally, single-layer flexible PCBs have a number of benefits over single-layer rigid PCBs, although their production is more expensive.

Single-layer high-frequency PCBs:

These are the single-layer PCBs used in high-frequency PCBs, which operate typically at gigahertz. Teflon or polyphenylene oxide (PPO) is used to create the boards.

When selecting high-frequency single-layer PCBs, there are a few things to keep in mind, including thermal expansion, dielectric loss, water absorption, and other factors.

Single Layer Rigid-Flex PCBs:

 These are a particular kind of single layer PCB that combines plastic and fiberglass in its construction. Thus, fiberglass and plastic are related to a single layer. They are superior to single-layer rigid and flexible PCBs in several ways, including a decrease in PCB size and weight.

Single layer aluminum backed PCBs:

Single-layer PCBs with an aluminum substrate is known as single-layer PCBs with an aluminum substrate. The boards’ layout is quite similar to copper-backed PCBs, but there is a distinction in that aluminum PCBs are used as the substrate, as opposed to copper.

Because thermal insulating material is utilized with aluminum backing to transmit heat from insulating material to back.

What Makes Single-sided Flexible PCB Apart from Single-sided Rigid PCB?

Single-sided rigid PCBs are built of stiff materials like FR4, while single-sided flexible PCBs are composed of flexible materials like PI.

Different mechanical characteristics: whereas single-sided flexible PCB can be built in three dimensions, single-sided rigid PCB cannot be bent or coiled.

A single-sided rigid PCB has a cheaper production cost than a single-sided flexible PCB because of this difference.

What Does a Single-sided Flexible PCB Look Like?

The Polyimide layer, Copper layer, and Adhesive layer are the layers that make up the single-sided flexible PCB.

  1. In single-sided flexible PCBs, a polyimide film is utilized as the substrate or cover layer; the cover layer is present on both sides of the single-sided circuit board;
  2. To create the necessary circuit pattern as the copper layer’s circuit layer, the copper is chemically etched (the circuit layer is located in the middle of the single-sided circuit board)
  3. The polyimide film and copper layer are joined together using glue;
  4. Flexible PCB uses polyimide as a cover layer to replace the solder mask that rigid PCB uses to protect the circuit.

Flexible circuit boards occasionally need reinforcing ribs to strengthen the circuit board area assembled by SMT or through-hole assembly. FR4/polyimide, aluminum, or steel sheet are typically used as reinforcement ribs in flexible PCBs.

They are attached to the flexible circuit using pressure-sensitive glue or thermal bonding (PSA). The stiffener’s main purposes are to reinforce the solder joints, improve the circuit board’s wear resistance, and minimize strain and heat dissipation.

What Materials Are Used in Single-sided Flexible PCB?

An insulating substance known as the substrate is used to create single-layer printed circuit boards. This substance is often phenol resin or glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin, over which a copper layer is laminated in the appropriate pattern. To stop oxidation and facilitate soldering, copper circuits are covered in a tin-lead coating.

There are additional finishes available, such as chemical gold or OSP (Organic Solderability Preservative). For superior conductivity, contact fingers are electrolytic ally gold-plated (0.025 to 2 m) after being nickel-plated first.

There are various options available, including carbon contacts, silver-cross or carbon connections, and various solder masks that may be made using a silkscreen, or a method that can be photographed.

FR1/XPC

These elements can be found in commonplace gadgets that don’t require a lot of cutting-edge technology. They are built of paper and phenol, which are both inexpensive and simple to construct but have low heat resistance (130°). Although CEM1/FR3 and FR4 materials are rapidly taking the place of FR1, FR1 is still readily accessible on the market.

CEM1/CEM3

A paper core and woven glass fabric coupled with an epoxy resin make up the composite material CEM-1. The CEM-1 delivers outstanding mechanical and electrical properties and punches well up to 2.36 mm (0.093′′) with its features of easy punching, great electrical properties, and better flexible strength.

The CEM-3 and FR4 are quite similar, except the CEM-3 use ‘flies’ as opposed to woven glass cloth. CEM-3 is extremely smooth and has a milky white hue.

It completely replaces FR4 and has a sizable market share in Asia. It is a kind of copper-clad, a flame-retardant epoxy substance that is commonly used in electronics for double-sided PCB boards.

FR4

“Flame Retardant” stands for FR. A printed circuit board is designed to function with electricity, hence it must withstand heat. Due to the distinct layer composition of FR4, it is substantially more heat resistant than FR1/XPC.

The fiberglass epoxy laminate used to create the FR4 PCB core at 1.60 mm (0.062 inches) thick, is the PCB material that is utilized the most frequently. Eight layers of glass fiber are used as standard in the FR4.

According to the brand and filler, the maximum ambient temperature ranges from 120 to 130°C. The least expensive option is FR1, however, FR4 is now reasonably priced.

The best material on the market for making PCBs is FR4. Even though some materials are less expensive, they can only be utilized to create single-layer boards, and the dependability of these boards is poor.

They are only employed for single-layer and extremely basic boards as a result.

Single-Sided Flexible PCB Are Used in Different Fields

As was said in the last article, single-layer flexible PCBs are simple to design and produce, have powerful features, and have significant cost-effectiveness. As a result, they continue to be utilized in a variety of sophisticated electronic devices, including:

  • Smartphone
  • Intelligent wearable technology
  • Relays used in the automotive and electricity industries
  • Digital cameras
  • Copiers and printers
  • Vending machines
  • Medical devices (hearing aids, pulse generators, etc.)
  • Home appliances like coffee makers
  • Sensor;
  • LED lights;
  • Security monitor;
  • Digital and analog power supplies;
  • Microwave

What Benefits Do Single-sided Flexible PCBs Offer?

The main advantages of flexible circuits over conventional cabling and rigid boards as a connecting devices are as follows:

  • Lessening of wiring faults;
  • Elimination of mechanical connectors;
  • Unmatched design freedom;
  • Increased circuit density;
  • Broader working temperature range;
  • Stronger signal quality;
  • Improved reliability and impedance management;
  • Lessening of size and weight.

Flexible Printed Circuits have a number of advantages, including:

Assembly Error Reduction:

Flex circuits remove the human error that used to be present in manually constructed wire harnesses through accurate designs and automated fabrication. Circuits are ONLY routed to the points specified by the precise design plan, with the exception of production-related faults.

Decreased Assembly Time and Costs:

Flex circuits eliminate production faults and need less manual work during the assembly. Flex circuits naturally have the capacity to combine form, fit, and functionality. The expensive process of routing, wrapping, and soldering wires is eliminated with flex circuits.

Individual hard PC boards are not installed or updated, only complete interconnection systems. As a result, wiring mistakes are removed, which lowers manufacturing costs.

Assembly time and costs are reduced regardless of whether it is a high-volume production with a complex circuit or a low-volume production with a simple circuit.

Design Freedom:

Flex circuits are not limited to two dimensions like rigid boards are. Flex circuit design options are limitless because they can be made to be as flexible as wires or ribbon cables. We take great pleasure in tackling even the most difficult design difficulties here at Flexible Circuit.

Flex circuits can be created to work in the most adverse situations and satisfy extremely complicated and unthinkable designs. Any of the following could be included in flexible circuit designs:

  • Withstanding hostile operating environments;
  • Highly complicated designs;
  • Single-Double combinations;
  • Complex Interconnections;
  • Shielding; Rigid/Flex capabilities;
  • Surface Mounted Devices

Flexibility during Installation:

Flexible Circuits can link to two or more planes while being executed, which enables the usage of a third dimension. They thereby overcome weight and space issues that rigid boards cannot. Flex circuits don’t experience electronic breakdowns even after being installed and used numerous times.

High-Density Applications:

Flexible circuits enable extremely thin lines that give way to dense device populations. A product can be developed with denser device populations and lighter conductors, freeing up space for extra product features.

Improved Airflow:

Flex circuits enable the circulation of cooling air through an electrical device due to their simplified form.

Increased Heat Dissipation: A shorter thermal path is permitted by flexible circuits’ higher surface-to-volume ratio and compact design. Flex circuits’ smaller shape also enables heat to be dissipated from both sides of the circuit.

Increased System Reliability: The majority of circuit malfunctions in the past happened at an interconnection point. Flex circuits can be constructed to minimize interconnections, increasing a circuit’s durability as a result.

Point-to-Point Wire Replacement We promise to be able to design and construct a single flex circuit that can eliminate most (if not all) of those interconnections, depending on the quantity of point-to-point connections in a circuit design.

Reliability and Durability

The designs with moving parts, and a flexible circuit can flex and move up to 500 million times without failing. The circuit can tolerate applications that generate extremely high heat thanks to polyimide’s remarkable thermal resilience.

Hard boards are a poor base for surface mounting; polyimide offers a better one. A temperature mismatch is less probable since the compliant base sheet lessens the strain on soldered junctions.

Repeatable Routings: To ensure exceptional manufacturing consistency, circuits are constructed from exact reproductions of original artwork. Etched circuits take the role of the rigid board’s solder and hand-wired connections, fully eliminating wiring mistakes.

Simplified Circuit Geometry: Flexible Circuit Technologies streamlines the entire design by directly attaching surface mount electronics to the circuit. Flex circuits make it simple to create intricate designs that were practically impossible to create with rigid boards.

Package Size and Weight Reduction

Multiple systems in rigid boards use more space and add weight. The thinnest dielectric substrates are seen in flex circuits. Thick rigid boards are unnecessary because thinness enables a more streamlined design.

The elasticity and flexibility allow for a reduction in package size. Box weight reduction is an additional advantage in addition to smaller package sizes. Weight reduction maintains flex circuits very competitive given the electronics industries’ constantly rising demands.

How Are Single-sided Flexible PCBs Assembled?

SMT surface mount technique is used in single-sided flexible PCBs to enhance the assembly density and performance of electronic circuits.

Electronic devices are getting smaller and smaller. The packing capacity of a small flexible PCB can be increased by using electronic components that have been reduced in size; the benefits of packaging density grow exponentially.

If you are looking for a Single Layer Flex PCB Manufacture in China, Please contact us now!