The printed circuit board, which is commonly referred to as the PCB, is one of the very wonderous elements of modern technology. Printed circuit boards have been playing versatile roles in various power and electrical sectors. They are treated as a significant asset in this modern era of globalization because of their contributions towards technological advancement and human ease. So before jumping right to the conclusion and their various functionalities, let us start with a brief insight regarding what printed circuit boards are.
What are printed circuit boards?
In simple words, the printed circuit board is an electric circuit that tends to contain small strips of copper that are acting as an efficient insulating material, followed by the form of layers, and is then attached to an insulating sheet called the printed circuit board.
The copper lines are sort of imprinted on it along with different electrical components attached which is the primary function of a printed circuit board.
As the name dictates, it comprises several electrical applications and has a very crucial role to play in electrical and electronic engineering.
Although there is a slight difference between a circuit board and a printed circuit board.
A circuit board is completely functional and all the required electrical equipment and components are attached to it ready to perform the desired functionality. But on the other side of the picture, in the printed circuit boards, there are no electrical components attached as it is up to us to attach the specific and desired electrical components for the specific function, we want to perform them.
Applications of Flexible PCB
Because of such remarkableness, the printed circuit boards readily got the attention of the market as well. That is where experts started to make suitable and necessary alterations to PCBs to further enhance their functionalities and effectiveness. They started to discover and manufacture new types. That is when the flexible printed circuit boards also known as “Flexible PCB” or “Flex PCB” started to come into action. The name indicates the vital ingredient of this particular printed circuit board.
In the flexible printed circuit board, all the materials used in its creation are flexible. Yet again, it contains a flexible sheet of copper paired with various electrical components and circuitry based on the element of flexibility.
Because of the flexibility, one of the very major attributes of the specific variant of PCB is that it can be bent and molded into the desired shape which makes it quite worth the cost. Because of such features, it serves abundant applications in the military and aerospace aspects as well.
The flexible printed circuit board provides you with high-density and mobility applications and comes quite handy in some particular situations where hand wiring is not an adequate option. That is the exact reason behind the cost efficiency of the flexible printed circuit board. Because it tends to minimize the number of additional expenditures used on various components and equipment to be used in the printed circuit board.
First of all, it tends to minimize the overall length and dimensions of the board as we can mold it in the desired shape. Followed by that it generates a highly reliable and time-efficient electrical connection. Last but not least it removes the need for additional cables and connectors that are required for improving and making the connection more reliable and efficient.
The flexible PCB is also categorized into another type which is generally known as the Rigid-Flex PCB. It is opposite to the flexible PCB. It contains a rigid base that provides it with a rigid structure that is maintained throughout. Unlike the flexible PCB, it cannot be altered to a desired form or shape.
