Rigid-Flex PCB Manufacturing — High-Reliability Flexible + Rigid Board Integration
Reliable rigid-flex PCB fabrication through our certified partner manufacturing ecosystem, combined with LinkPCBA’s engineering control, stack-up planning and end-to-end quality management.
Rigid-flex PCB manufacturing enables ultra-compact electronic designs by integrating flexible polyimide circuits with rigid FR4 sections. This technology improves reliability, reduces connectors, eliminates wiring errors and supports 3D assembly for medical devices, wearables, industrial controls and compact consumer products.
LinkPCBA delivers stable and consistent rigid-flex PCB production through our audited supply-chain partners, combined with our internal engineering validation and quality inspection processes.
Customer Challenge — Miniaturization, Reliability & Complex Routing
A global IoT device manufacturer needed a multi-layer rigid-flex PCB with:
- Very small bending radius
- Controlled impedance across rigid + flex transitions
- Multiple FPC layers with coverlay
- Resin-filled via-in-pad under BGA
- Stable mechanical reliability in 3D folded installation
- Consistent adhesion strength between flexible and rigid sections
Traditional PCB or FPC alone could not meet the reliability and mechanical requirements.
Rigid-flex technology was necessary.
Engineering Solutions — Rigid-Flex Stack-Up & Reliability Control
To solve the customer’s RF challenges, LinkPCBA implemented a complete high-frequency manufacturing workflow:
Rigid-Flex Stack-Up Design
- PI (polyimide) flex layers + FR4 rigid sections
- 1–8 flexible layers, 4–20 total layers
- Adhesive / adhesive-free PI options
- Controlled stiffener placement (PI / FR4 / stainless steel)
Flexible Circuit Processing
- Laser drilling for 0.10 mm–0.15 mm microvias
- Coverlay (PI + adhesive)
- Reinforced copper distribution for bending durability
- Rolled annealed copper for maximum flex cycles
Rigid Section Processing
- Standard FR4 / high-TG materials
- Blind/buried vias, laser vias, back-drill optional
- Controlled impedance ±10%、±8%
Rigid-Flex Bonding & Lamination
- Vacuum lamination
- Adhesive and adhesive-free stack-up compatible
- Layer alignment control ±30 μm
Via-in-Pad & SMT Surface Preparation
- Resin-filled via-in-pad under BGA
- Flatness <15 μm
- ENIG / ENEPIG finish for fine-pitch assembly
Reliability & Mechanical Validation
- 10K+ bending cycles
- Temperature cycling −40°C to 125°C
- Pull-strength testing for flexible–rigid joints
Performance Validation — Proven Rigid-Flex PCB Results
Our audited partner factories + internal LinkPCBA QA validation ensures:
- Layer alignment: ±25–30 μm
- Flex bend reliability: >10,000 cycles
- Microvia quality: Laser-drilled 0.10–0.15 mm
- Impedance stability: ±8–10%
- SMT flatness: <15 μm after resin-filled via-in-pad
- Adhesion strength: ≥0.8 kgf/cm PI-to-copper
Results demonstrate rigid-flex PCB structures suitable for high-density and high-reliability OEM products.
PCB Manufacturing Capabilities
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Applications of Rigid-Flex PCBs
Wearables & Smart Devices — Ultra-compact 3D routing
Medical Electronics — High reliability under bending
Aerospace / Drones — Weight reduction + shock durability
Industrial Controls — Stable under vibration and movement
Automotive Displays & Modules — Folded structures + reliability
IoT Devices — Space-constrained integration
Why OEM & ODM Clients Choose LinkPCBA for Rigid-Flex PCBs
- Advanced rigid-flex PCB fabrication capability including polyimide flex layers, microvias and complex multilayer bonding
- Engineering-driven support for stack-up planning, bending radius control and stiffener optimization
- Strict quality assurance workflow, including AOI, X-ray, microvia inspection and dimensional accuracy checks
- High mechanical reliability for wearables, medical devices and compact consumer electronics
- Certified quality system ensuring consistent performance across all batches
- Fast engineering response with 24h DFM review and quotation for rigid-flex PCB designs
FAQ — Rigid-Flex PCB
We support 4–20 total layers with 1–8 flexible layers, including multi-segment flex, dual-side FPC, and complex multilayer rigid-flex combinations.
Typical bending radius: ≥1.0 mm
Enhanced structures: ≥0.6 mm depending on copper thickness and layer count.
Laser-drilled microvias: 0.10–0.15 mm.
Yes. Resin-filled via-in-pad with <15 μm surface planarity, suitable for 0.4–0.5 mm pitch BGAs.
Flexible area: ±8–10%
Rigid area: ±5–8% (depending on stack-up and dielectric structure)
Flexible areas use polyimide (PI) coverlay with RA copper for enhanced bending endurance.
Yes. Mass production is performed through LinkPCBA’s fully audited rigid-flex manufacturing partners, managed under our engineering and quality control system.
Prototype: 7–12 days
Mass Production (MP): 15–20 days
Start Your Rigid-Flex PCB Project
Get a free rigid-flex stack-up review and 24h quotation for your next product design.
⭐ Verified by LinkPCBA Engineering Department — Updated April 2025