-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
The Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
- Articles
Article Highlights
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Flexible, Stretchable, and Wearable: If You Can Dream it, You Can Create it!
June 3, 2015 | Patty Goldman, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
It seems that flex circuit technology is definitely coming into its own. The market for flex circuitry has always been growing, but now it is rapidly accelerating, with new technologies and new applications in the news nearly every day. Flex is not just in your laptop and camera anymore, it is in your car, in space, and on your body. In other words, flex is everywhere.
We originally intended this issue to be centered on flexible circuits, but it quickly became apparent that we needed to broaden the scope and include all (well, at least some) of the new and exciting things going on these days in the world of flexible everything. As such, we have garnered a trove of authors, with much information to impart on the above mentioned.
Our cover story from OM Group discusses the processing of flex materials using a stress-free plating technology for both flex and rigid-flex materials.
Then, Dr. Joan Vrtis of Multek gives a great market overview of that relatively new industry most often called ‘wearables.’ She points out that wearables are not new, but when combined with electronics, this industry is only limited by the imagination, as the technology to make it happen is rapidly evolving.
Looking at another flex industry segment (flex segmented!), Maarten Cauwe and co-authors from imec pull our interest in a different direction as they explore two technologies for flexible and stretchable circuits in space applications.
So back to the beginning: Two articles discuss new materials to help make some of this happen. Panasonic’s Yoshioka et al., present a high-performance substrate for stretchable electronics, while Dupont’s Sidney Cox discusses a new flex material for high-temperature
applications.
Also on the topic of the processing of flex materials, Patrick Riechel of ESI reviews three technologies for microvia drilling and cutting. Rounding out the processing topic is columnist Todd Kolmodin with a brief overview on testing flex circuits.
This month is a perfect time to introduce our two newest columnists, who will become regular contributors to our Flex007 Weekly Newsletter that publishes every Thursday. As her first subject, Tara Dunn of Omni PCB chose “Flex-to-Fit”—another flex industry subset that is only limited by the imagination.
And last but not least, Dave Becker of All Flex presents his summary of wearable technology. There’s a lot going on in flexible, stretchable, wearable technology and there is much to learn!
Suggested Items
Big Win for Defense Production Act Budget Allocation in FY24 Budget
04/23/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamOne year ago, President Biden issued a determination that chips and packaging are critical for national security. Since that time, much work has been done to continue the conversation in Washington, elevating the importance of the entire chips value chain, and including printed circuit boards and substrates, without which chips cannot operate.
Zentech’s Board of Directors Announces the Return of Matt Turpin as President and CEO
04/22/2024 | Zentech ManufacturingTurpin draws upon over 35 years of experience in the electronics industry and has an 18-year history with Zentech. He previously served as President and CEO from 2006 to 2019 after which time he has remained active in the EMS industry as an advisor to Zentech and other industry organizations.
Aaron Woolf, Dylan Peterson Join SIA Team
04/22/2024 | SIAThe Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced Aaron Woolf and Dylan Peterson have joined the SIA team. Woolf will serve as director of global policy for economic security and Peterson will be a communications associate. SIA represents 99% of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms.
It’s Only Common Sense: OCCAM—the Time Is Now
04/22/2024 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseOne of my favorite books is a little tome called Who Moved My Cheese? Even those of you who don’t spend a lot of time reading books have at least heard of it and know that it refers to people, especially in business, who are so stuck in their ways that they get upset when something changes. In our business, we know this kind of thinking is especially true. In fact, it always makes me laugh when one of my innovative friends finds a new way to do something and is afraid that someone will steal his idea. I always tell him that no one in our business, especially a PCB engineer, has ever thought about someone else’s innovative idea enough to steal it.
Digitalisation and ESG
04/19/2024 | Marina Hornasek-Metzl, AT&SDigitalisation and ESG are prominent and high-priority topics in the global business community. The first focuses on applying technology throughout the value chain to produce faster, smarter, and more desirable business outcomes. The latter emphasises the broader value a business is expected to create for its stakeholders from an environmental, social, and governance perspective.