{"id":9896,"date":"2024-07-29T11:12:32","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T15:12:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/?p=9896"},"modified":"2026-03-27T09:41:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T13:41:42","slug":"mastering-rigid-flex-pcb-design-a-simplified-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/2024\/07\/29\/mastering-rigid-flex-pcb-design-a-simplified-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Mastering rigid-flex PCB design: A simplified guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There is a growing demand for compact, efficient, and versatile printed circuit boards (PCBs). Rigid-flex technology, enabling the creation of boards that can bend and flex without sacrificing performance or reliability, is a crucial solution to meet these demands. However, mastering the design of rigid-flex PCBs presents unique challenges. Whether you&#8217;re an experienced designer looking to expand your skills or a newcomer to the field, this guide offers a simplified, structured approach to rigid-flex PCB design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Differences between rigid and flex PCB design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are only a few differences between executing rigid and flex PCB designs in a PCB design tool, these distinctions are crucial for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Regional stackups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Unique stackups for each board region: Each region can have a unique stackup defined by separate board outlines, labeled as either \u201crigid\u201d or \u201cflex.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Master stackup: A master stackup, combining all regional stackups, drives the tool.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Flex-specific layer types<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Special layers: Flex core, cover layer, adhesive, and stiffeners are supported.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mask layers: Separate mask layers can be added for each board region, beyond the traditional top and bottom solder masks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Flex elements in the pad stack<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pad stack: Includes cover layer openings for through-hole and surface mount device (SMD) pads, and pads defining hole openings in stiffeners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bend areas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Defining bend areas: Bend areas define where and how the flex circuit bends, used in design rule checks (DRC) and 3D design.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fabrication output<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Communicating design intent: Design intent and regional stackups are conveyed to the board fabricator via Xpedition Layout ODB++ output, the preferred format for flex and flex\/rigid designs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A simple 10-point rigid-flex design process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Set rigid-flex technology<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a master stackup<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define multiple board outlines<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assign layers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establish route borders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create bend areas<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Place and route<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3D visualization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run DRC checks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create outputs<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>By following this structured 10-point process, you can navigate each phase of rigid-flex PCB development with confidence. Whether working with flex-only designs or complex flex-rigid configurations, these principles equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to overcome the challenges of rigid-flex PCB design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a comprehensive explanation of the rigid-flex design flow, please download the full whitepaper, <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/resources.sw.siemens.com\/en-US\/white-paper-rigid-flex-pcb-design-guidelines\/?ref=EBS_blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rigid-Flex PCB Design Guidelines<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. This guide includes &#8220;how tos&#8221; on all ten steps including creating stackups, defining board outlines, layer assignment, route borders, and more, with clear instructions and illustrations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, getting the hang of rigid-flex design is a continuous journey. You&#8217;ll run into unique situations and chances to innovate as you go. Embrace these challenges, keep learning, and use the tips from this guide to push the limits of your rigid-flex PCB designs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is a growing demand for compact, efficient, and versatile printed circuit boards (PCBs). Rigid-flex technology, enabling the creation of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95117,"featured_media":9898,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spanish_translation":"","french_translation":"","german_translation":"","italian_translation":"","polish_translation":"","japanese_translation":"","chinese_translation":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[113,1819,126,1773],"industry":[],"product":[984],"coauthors":[1794],"class_list":["post-9896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-learning-resources","tag-pcb-design","tag-rigid-flex-pcb","tag-rigid-flex","tag-rigid-flex-pcb-design","product-xpedition-enterprise"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/65\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-1464585804-Closeup-PCB-flex-ribbon-added-bkgd-EXT-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/95117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9896"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9896\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9917,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9896\/revisions\/9917"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9896"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=9896"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=9896"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/electronic-systems-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}