Flexible circuit board use is on the rise, driven by the demand for increased design flexibility, smaller packaging and products that are lighter and thinner. Flexible circuitry use also eliminates connection points, which simplifies assembly and reduces the chance for human error or interconnect defects.
The issues of smaller yet more complex package sizes increases the challenge of designing for applications where electrical connections are required in multiple axes, or flex during normal use. For flexible circuits, check out UEI, a provider of electronics contract manufacturing and services since 1980.
In addition to flexible circuits, though, quick access to printed circuit boards for prototyping is also a necessity. Element14, an online community and electronics store, recently announced a partnership with Sunstone Circuits® to deliver bare printed circuit board (PCB) prototyping services to customers in the Americas through the Knode, an intelligent search and knowledge tool. Through this partnership, you can access Sunstone’s prototyping products and services to create test copies of unpopulated or “bare” PCBs prior to ordering the finished electronic product, allowing you to conserve resources through shorter design cycles.
The proper equipment and technical competency are critical for any design to ensure customer specifications are met. Finding a suitable printed circuit board fabrication facility that will produce a limited number of prototypes can be challenging. In addition, evaluating quotes and services from potential PCB prototype manufacturers can be time-consuming and cumbersome. This new partnership promises to change such situations with instant access to quotes and high-quality printed circuit board prototypes in as little as 24 hours..
Element14
www.element14.com/Knode
Sunstone Circuits
www.sunstone.com
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