Comparing the 3 Circuit Types of Flexible Printed Circuits
A flexible printed circuit (FPC) is a special type of printed circuit board that's characterized by the use of a flexible material. Rather than printing the circuit on a hard substrate, it's printed on a flexible substrate. This allows for several unique benefits, including a more varied number of applications as well as reliability, durability and overall quality. There are different types of circuits used in FPCs, however, each of which has its own characteristics. If you're thinking about buying an FPC for your company, you should familiarize yourself with these different circuit types so that you can choose the right FPC for your specific needs.
Circuit Class 1
The lowest grade of FPC, class 1 circuits have undergone only the minimum amount of testing and inspection as per the IPC-6013. You typically won't find them in touchscreen devices, smartphones or human machine interfaces (HMIs). Rather, they are used for manufacturing disposable electronic devices, such as disposable cameras. Class 1 FPCs are inexpensive, but they don't bring much to the table in terms of longevity.
Circuit Class 2
A step up from class 1 FPCs is class 2. As you may have guessed, class 2 FPCs have undergone a more stringent testing and inspection process. They typically last long and perform better than their class 1 counterparts. Because of these characteristics, you'll often find class 2 FPCs in traditional electronics. It's a cost-effective approach to manufacturing electronic devices that doesn't sacrifice quality.
