Printed circuit board is an indispensable component for all electronics. After you successfully crafted your PCB design, how to find the right PCB manufacturer to transform drawing into a functioning prototype becomes a priority. Especially for complex board type like rigid flex PCB, it is more difficult to identify the suitable manufacturer than standard rigid PCB because very few manufacturers has required engineering experience and capabilities.

Here list 5 key points to consider when choose rigid flex PCB supplier for your project:

1.Project Experience

One of the first piece of information you should collect is their similar project experience. Unlike regular rigid PCB or simple low layer count flex PCB, successful rigid flex PCB fabrication rely more on the rich experience on process flow organization, machine configuration and control, it doesn’t necessarily associate with plant size, staff number or equipment price. By asking their service experience for similar projects, you can roughly evaluate if they are qualified for your job, and what is the odds of failure. It is not rational to expect someone who is completely new to rigid flex pcb fabrication can build it fast and right at the first time. As you review their project history, you can have them explain to you what is the most chanlleging rigid flex PCB they have built and how they coped with the tricky part. In this part, you can get a sense of their service quality, engineering experience,product quality and communication ability.

2.One-stop Assembly Service

PCB manufacturing consists of PCB fabrication and PCB assembly. In most cases, rigid flex PCB doesn’t have large or even mid-volume order like rigid PCB, which means it is not cost-effective and efficient to hire a separate assembler. By working with fabricator offering turnkey assembly service, you could speed up the delivery and lower communication cost caused by multi vendors. As some firms only focus on one service and not the other, so while you look for fabricator, you might want to confirm if they provide assembly service as well.

3.Capabilities

Another important info to collect is their capability. Not just brief intro of what they offer, but also detailed description on key parameters like final thickness, impedeance control, min trace/width,copper thickness, aspect ratio, min hole size and available laminates. These details could help you assess how much they are good at building rigid flex PCB. Of course, if you are worried about hype, you could pick a few parameters and let them send you past cases for reference. After noting down these, you need to go further verifying if they are capable of volume production. A lot of manufacturers only able to deliver several pieces of rigid flex PCB samples after scrap numerous boards. It will be a disaster if you let them process your volume order even small run.

4. DFMA（ Design for Manufacturability and Assembly）

For intricate and expensive design like rigid flex PCB, professsional DFMA could possibly cut down expensive cost or greatly shorten time to market for you by optimizing material or stack-up design besed on their processes and capabilities. If you are on NPI stage, try to find a company strong at DFMA, it could really speed up your whole process which in return saves you large amount of time later spent on revision.

5.Ease of Communication

The last consideration is communication. It is called out becasue I assume you are looking for China rigid flex PCB manufatcurer which has time-zone and language difference with you. And PCB project is the kind of transaction that entails many updates and revisions. So extra care need to be given to this factor when you are choosing supplier. This part is easy to identify during your email communication or phone call conversation.

In summary, when you touch base with a new rigid flex PCB supplier, ask them below questions:

1-Have you built rigid flex PCB before? what is the most difficult project you have fabricated?

2- Do you offer Turnkey Assembly service for rigid flex PCB? Any case for reference?

3-What is your detailed rigid flex PCB fabrication capability? Have you produced volume order before or only prototype? How many pieces exactly?

4-Do you provide DFMA? What is the most useful DFMA you delivered before? How much money or time your suggestions save for them?

Though above is not an all-inclusive list, but with them, you can make a strong start on new rigid flex PCB supplier query.

If you are currently ready for building your rigid flex PCB, try out XPCB Limited. With wide project experience crossing aerospace, medical, consumer electronics, automotiive sectors, XPCB team has tackled diversed rigid flex PCB projects that range from 2-26 layers. Absolutely a knowledgable manufacturer. Both fabrication & assembly service are well done with high yield and high reliability.