As electronic complexity increases and the use of microelectronics grows, traditional PCB may become inadequate, requiring the power of flexible PCB that can bend and adapt to different shapes and sizes. However, in contrast, flexible PCB manufacturing is more challenging. Therefore, you may need a more specialized manufacturer. If you are looking for this service in the United States, this article will greatly benefit you. TechSparks will recommend the top US flexible PCB manufacturers specializing in producing complex circuits to meet the demands of modern technology.
Flex PCB, Ltd.
: California, USA
: 888-397-9545
: https://flexpcb.com/
Flex PCB, Ltd. has been a reliable and experienced USA PCB manufacturer of flexible circuit since 1980. With their manufacturing plants, customers can benefit from competitive prices without any middlemen. Their advanced equipment and project locations in China and the US allow for quick turnaround times and personalized delivery locations. Flex PCB, Ltd. has independent technical, engineering, procurement, and customer service departments that work together to provide high-quality manufacturing services. Additionally, they offer flexible PCB assembly and use polyimide, a highly durable and flexible material, for their FPC. Choose Flex PCB, Ltd. for your FPC needs and experience the benefits of their expertise and quality services.
| Item | Flexible PCB | Rigid-flexible PCB |
| Base Panel | ||
| Board Size | 250mm x 400mm | 100mm x 100mm |
| Line Width/Space | .003″ (0.07mm) | .003″ (0.07mm) |
| Copper Thickness | 1/2 oz. and higher | 1/4 to 1/2 oz. |
| Board Layers | ＜10 | ＜4 |
| Hole Size | ||
| Minimum Drill Hole Diameter | .008″ (0.2 mm) | .006″ (0.15 mm) |
| Minimum Via (Laser) Size | 5 mil (0.15 mm) | 1 mil (0.025 mm) |
| Minimum Micro Via (Laser) Size | 3 mil (0.07 mm) | 1 mil (0.025 mm) |
| Stiffener Material | Polyimide / FR4 / Metal | Polyimide / FR4 / Metal |
| Shielding Material | Copper / Silver Ink / Tatsuta / Carbon | Copper / Silver Ink / Tatsuta / Carbon |
| Tooling Tolerance | 2 mil (0.05 mm) | 1 mil (0.025 mm) |
| Zif Tolerance | 2 mil (0.05 mm) | 1 mil (0.025 mm) |
| Solder Mask | ||
| Bridge Between Dam | 5 mil (0.13 mm) | 4 mil (0.11 mm) |
| Registration Tolerance | 4 mil (0.11 mm) | 4 mil (0.11 mm) |
| Coverlay | ||
| Coverlay Registration | 8 mil (0.20 mm) | 5 mil (0.13 mm) |
| PIC Registration | 7 mil (0.18 mm) | 4 mil (0.11 mm) |
| Solder Mask Registration | 5 mil (0.13 mm) | 4 mil (0.11 mm) |
| Legend | ||
| Minimum Height | 35 mil (0.89 mm) | 25 mil (0.64 mm) |
| Minimum Width | 8 mil (0.20 mm) | 6 mil (0.15 mm) |
| Minimum Space | 8 mil (0.20 mm) | 6 mil (0.15 mm) |
| Registration | +/- 5 mil (0.13 mm) | +/- 5 mil (0.13 mm) |
| Impedance | +/- 10% | +/- 10% |
| SRD (Steel Rule Die) | ||
| Outline Tolerance | 5 mil (0.13 mm) | 2 mil (0.051 mm) |
| Minimum Radius | 5 mil (0.13 mm) | 4 mil (0.11 mm) |
| Inside Radius | 20 mil (0.51 mm) | 10 mil (0.25 mm) |
| Punch Minimum Hole Size | 40 mil (1.02 mm) | 31.5 mil (0.80 mm) |
| Tolerance of Punch Hole Size | +/- 2 mil (0.051 mm) | +/- 1 mil (0.025 mm) |
| Slot Width | 20 mil (0.51 mm) | 15 mil (0.38 mm) |
| Tolerance of Hole to Outline | +/- 3 mil (0.07 mm) | +/- 2 mil (0.051 mm) |
| Tolerance of Hole Edge to Outline | +/- 4 mil (0.11 mm) | +/- 3 mil (0.07 mm) |
| Minimum of Trace to Outline | 8 mil (0.20 mm) | 5 mil (0.13 mm) |
Qflex Inc.
: California, USA
: +1(714)-664-0101
: https://qflexinc.com/
Q-Flex, a leading flexible circuit board manufacturer in the US since 1998, boasts an 18,000 square foot factory and a team of 18 well-trained technicians with advanced manufacturing equipment. They have a global reach and specialize in producing eco-friendly, lead-free products that cater to the medical, aerospace, and defense industries. With R&D and prototyping capabilities, Qflex can produce flexible circuits from 1-88 layers, and their clients include NASA, JPL, Boeing, and SpaceX.
| Item | Ability |
| Manufacturable Types | Flexible Rigid-Flex 1-88L Reverse Bare Flying Leads (Unsupported leads) |
| Available Material | Acrylic / Kapton (UL 94 V 1) Modified Acrylic / Kapton (UL 94 V 0) Butyral Phenolic / Kapton ( UL 94 V 1) Butyral Phenolic / Upilex ( UL 94 V 1) Flexible Epoxy / Kapton (UL 94 V 0) Ohmega / Kapton Adhesiveless Kapton Sputtered Copper Cast Polyimide Coated Polyimide |
| Test Method | X-Ray Cross Sections Optical Inner Layer Inspection Net List Testing PhotPlotting Dimensional Analysis XRF reports |
| Special Craft | Electroless Tin Silver Epoxy Shielding Heat Sink Bonding Zero Flow Lamination Immersion Gold / Nickel Selective Gold / Solder Bright Tin High Precision True Position Tolerances Selective Pad Plating Volume Production With 5 micron copper Proprietary Ultra Flex Process |
| Delivery Ability | Fast Turnaround Flex PCB Prototyping: 1-2 days Standard Prototyping: 2-5 days Small batch manufacturing (15-150 units): – 1-4 weeks Mid-volume manufacturing (150-10k units): – 2-4 weeks High Volume Per schedule |
Rush Flex PCB
: California, USA
: +1 408-496-6013
: https://www.rushflexpcb.com/
Through our investigation, we found that Rush Flex PCB is actually Rush PCB. While they may not be dedicated American flexible PCB manufacturers, they offer a wide range of service offerings and advanced technical capabilities. Rush PCB provides various material options to ensure that they meet diverse customer requirements. One of the most noteworthy aspects is their comprehensive turnkey services, covering everything from design to assembly.
In terms of quality, Rush PCB holds multiple significant quality certifications, including ISO 9001, ISO 13485, J-STD-001, and IPC-A-610E. Their engineers review the entire project, actively engaging in the process and providing valuable professional support, contributing to the entire development process.
| Parameter | Standard | Advanced |
| Layer Counts | 2L | 6L |
| Thickness (min) | 0.008″+/-0.002″ | 0.006″+/-0.002″ |
| Board Size | 7″*13″ | 7″*21″ |
| Trace/ Space | 0.005″/0.005″ | 0.002″/0.002″ |
| Pad Size | 0.012″ | 0.008″ |
| Pad to Copper | 0.005″ | 0.004″ |
| Hole Size (min) | 0.004*+/-0.002″ | 0.003″+/-0.002″ |
| Via Land | 0.005″ | 0.004″ |
| Hole to Board Edge | 0.015″ | 0.010″ |
| Dim (SM to SM) | 0.01″ | 0.005″ |
| SM to Copper | 0.015″ | 0.005″ |
| SM Color | Yellow | Yellow |
| Routing Tol | +/-0.006″ | +/-0.002″ |
| Finish | ENIG | ENIG |
Flexible Circuits, Inc.
: Pennsylvania, USA
: (215) 343-2300
: https://flexiblecircuits.net/
Since 1963, Flexible Circuits, Inc. has been a significant player in the field of flexible circuits. They offer professional design and manufacturing services, covering various circuit types, including Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV, IPC6013, Mil-P-50884, and IPC6012 Type I, II, and III. This diversity and expertise enable them to meet a wide range of customer needs.
Compared to other American flexible PCB manufacturing companies, Flexible Circuits, Inc. is better suited for high-end projects. They have a strong focus on the military and aerospace industries, with over half a century of experience. This gives them a unique advantage in providing high-density and lightweight designs. Their specialized team employs parallel engineering methods and excels in military and aerospace equipment such as rockets, missiles, aircraft platforms, reinforced communication systems, and shipboard platforms.
Rigiflex Technology Inc.
: California, USA
: (714) 688-1500
: https://www.rigiflex.com/
As electronic applications continue to grow in complexity, flexible PCBs are subjected to increasingly demanding working conditions. Consequently, reliability becomes the primary concern for manufacturers. In this domain, Rigiflex Technology, Inc. stands out with over 25 years of exceptional history, boasting state-of-the-art equipment and top-tier materials in its manufacturing facilities, offering customers outstanding manufacturing services.
Furthermore, Rigiflex holds qualifications such as registration with the Defense Trade Controls Office, compliance with ITAR M26780 and AECA standards, and military PCB manufacturing certification. These certifications not only signify the company’s excellent manufacturing capabilities but also reflect its strength in providing superior and reliable electronic solutions.
| Standard Panel Size | 18″x24″ |
| Copper Thickness | 0.5 oz. To 6.0 oz. |
| Board Thickness | 0.5mm~3.0mm (0.02″~0.12″) |
| Minimum Height | 35 mil (0.89 mm) |
| Minimum Width | 8 mil (0.20 mm) |
| Solder Mask | White, Black, Blue, Green, Red |
| Legend/Silkscreen Color | Black, White |
| Surface Finishing | Immersion Gold, HASL, OSP |
| Layer | 1-20 Layers |
| Standards | MIL-PRF-55110, MIL-PRF-50884, MIL-PRF-31032 UL94V.0, IPC-6012,6013, ISO-9001, AS910 |
| Turnaround Times | Single-sided: 24 to 48 hours Double-sided: 24 to 48 hours Multilayers: 1 to 5 days |
| Minimum Drill (Mechanical) Hole Diameter | .008″ (0.2 mm) |
| Minimum Micro Via (Laser) Size | 3 mil (0.07 mm) |
| Minimum Via (Laser) Size | 5 mil (0.15 mm) |
| Shielding Material | Copper, Silver Ink, Tatsuta, Carbon |
Uni-Flex Circuits, Inc.
: California, USA
: (408) 998-5500
: https://uniflexcircuits.com/
As a company committed to providing high-quality craftsmanship and exceptional services, Uni-Flex Circuits, Inc. is a specialized manufacturer dedicated to flexible printed circuits. They can accept various forms of files and offer cost-effective interconnection solutions to their users. Their factory is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, equipped with advanced machinery to produce various types of flexible circuits, including single-sided, double-sided multilayer, dual-access, Wimpy, sculpture flex circuit, and more.
With their expertise and dedication, they can meet some of your needs in the shortest time, with some even completed within 24 hours. While this may seem incredible, their years of experience have equipped them with the ability to design and manufacture complete circuit solutions when feasible. Additionally, they can handle large-scale production, meeting the demands of thousands of products every month.
| Feature | Special Process | Standard | |
| Minimum Copper Trace/Space | 0.25 oz. (9 µm) | 0.001″/0.0015″ | 0.0015″/0.002″ |
| 0.33 oz. (12 µm) | 0.0015″/0.0015″ | 0.002”/0.002″ | |
| 0.5 oz. (18 µm) | 0.002”/0.002″ | 0.0025″/0.0025″ | |
| 1 oz. (35 µm) | 0.003″/0.003″ | 0.0035″/0.0035′ | |
| Minimum Via Hole Diameter | NC Drill | 0.003″ | 0.006″ |
| UV Laser | 0.002″ | 0.004″ | |
| Minimum Blind Via Diameter | UV Laser | 0.004″ | 0.006″ |
| Layer to Layer Artwork Registration | Double Sided | 0.001″ | 0.004″ |
| Trace to Edge Tolerance | NC Route | NA | 0.005″ |
| UV Laser | 0.001″ | 0.001″ | |
| Insulator Positional Tolerance | Cover Film | 0.001″ | 0.003″ |
| LPI | 0.001″ | 0.002″ | |
| Minimum Cover Layer Opening | 0.5 mil (12 µm) | 0.0005″ | 0.001″ |
| 1 mil (25 µm) | 0.001″ | 0.002″ | |
| Cover Layer Adhesive Bleed | 0.5 mil (12 µm) | 0.0005″ | 0.001″ |
| 1 mil (25 µm) | 0.001″ | 0.002″ | |
| Minimum Cover Layer Webbing Width | 0.5 mil (12 µm) | 0.004″ | 0.004″ |
| 1 mil (25 µm) | 0.006″ | 0.006″ |
Flexible Circuit Technologies (FCT)
: Minnesota, USA
: 888-921-6167
: https://www.flexiblecircuit.com/
FCT is a globally leading circuit supplier, offering a wide range of products and services, including flexible circuits, rigid-flex circuits, flexible heaters, flat flexible cables, membrane switches, and plastic molded parts. With manufacturing facilities distributed across the United States, Canada, and China, their globalized manufacturing network positions them for a competitive edge over other American manufacturers, serving various industries such as medical, automotive, consumer goods, telecom/data, and industrial sectors.
The FCT team is composed of internationally recognized experts in flexible circuit applications and design. They deliver outstanding design services and comprehensive support to their clients. Actively engaging with IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries), they contribute to shaping and advancing industry standards within the electronics field.
| Product | Standard Flex Capabilities | Advanced Flex Capabilities |
| Standard Panel Size | 9.85″(250mm)×15.75”(400mm) | 3.94″(100mm)x 3.94(100mm) |
| Line Width and Spacing | .002″(50um) .002″(50um) .00W”(76um) .004″(102um) .005″(127um) | .001″(25um) .0014″(35um) .002″(50um) .003″(76um) .004″(102um) |
| Copper Thickness | 1/4 oz. Cu (9um) to 2oz. Cu (71um) | 1/4 oz. Cu (9um) to 1/2 oz. Cu (18um) |
| Layer Count | 10 | 2 typical, Max of 4 |
| Via / Drill Size | ||
| Minimum Drill(Mechanical) Hole Diameter | .006″(152um) | .004″(102um) |
| Minimum Micro Via (Laser) size | .004″(102um) | .002″(50um) |
| Solder Mask | ||
| Solder Mask Dam (Web) | .003″(76um) | .002″(50um) |
| Solder Mask Registration Tolerance | .003″(76um) | .001″(25um) |
| Shielding Materials | Copper / Silver Ink / Shielding film / Carbon | |
| Stiffener | ||
| Stiffener Material | Polvimide / FR4 / Metal | |
| Pl Stiffener | ||
| Stiffener Registration | .008″(203um) | .004″(102um) |
| FR4 Stiffener | ||
| Stiffener Registration | .006″(152um) | .004″(102um) |
| Legend | ||
| Minimum Height | .032″(813um) | .020″(508um) |
| Minimum Width | .006″(152um) | .0032″(81um) |
| Registration | +/-005″(127um) | +/-005″(127um) |
| Impedance | +/- 10% | +/- 10% |
| Tooling | ||
| Hard Tooling Tolerance | .002″(50um) | .002″(50um) |
| Zif Tolerance (Hard Tool, CMD,or Laser) | .002″(50um) | .002″(50um) |
| CMD Tolerance(Chem Mill Die) | .004″(102um) | .004″(102um) |
Circuits Unlimited, Inc.
: California, USA
: (800) 341 – 3539
: https://flexiblecircuitry.com/
Circuits Unlimited specializes in providing high-quality circuit board solutions, with particular expertise in quick-turn rigid-flex and flexible PCBs. They are committed to delivering top-quality, domestically manufactured products for flexible circuit applications with stringent delivery timelines. They take pride in offering products made in the USA. Regardless of your specific circuit board needs, simply submit your Gerber files or get in touch with their customer service for a seamless experience.
Circuits Unlimited stands out in the industry due to their technical expertise, engineering support, procurement assistance, and exceptional customer service. They not only offer inventory management services but also provide convenient component sourcing, in-house assembly, and testing services. With in-house SMT capabilities, they can handle packages as small as 0402, focusing on turnkey assembly applications.
Why Choose Flexible PCB Solutions from the United States
While the electronics manufacturing industry has exhibited a global trend, gradually shifting towards Asian countries, starting from Japan and South Korea to China and now encompassing India and Vietnam, this trend’s changes have multiple reasons. On one hand, it’s due to the improving manufacturing capabilities and quality in Southeast Asian countries. On the other hand, it’s driven by the relatively lower labor costs in these regions. Therefore, seeking manufacturing services in the United States might require paying higher costs.
Why, then, would we recommend obtaining flexible PCB solutions from the United States?
The answer lies in the fact that the U.S. manufacturing industry has always been a leader in technological innovation. Concerning printed circuit board manufacturing, flexible PCB manufacturing processes are evidently more challenging. Flexible PCB use special flexible substrate materials that are thinner, more bendable, but also more susceptible to damage. Consequently, manufacturing flexible PCB demands higher technical requirements and quality control.
Firstly, flexible PCB manufacturing usually requires high-precision equipment, especially for cutting, drilling, and circuit control. This necessitates manufacturers to possess advanced equipment and impeccable processing capabilities. Secondly, developed countries like the United States have stricter standards for quality control, ensuring the reliability and performance of the manufactured flexible PCB.
Therefore, despite potentially higher costs, obtaining flexible PCB manufacturing services from the United States generally guarantees higher manufacturing quality and reliability, which can be crucial for certain critical applications.
Ending
While the global shift towards flexible PCB manufacturing in countries with lower labor costs is undeniable, the U.S. remains a strong contender when it comes to high-quality, reliable, and technically advanced flexible PCB solutions. The manufacturers listed in this article are leaders in the field, equipped with the necessary expertise, state-of-the-art equipment, and a commitment to precision and quality control that is often unmatched elsewhere. Although the cost may be higher compared to overseas options, the investment in quality often pays off in the long term, particularly for industries like medical devices, aerospace, and high-end consumer electronics where failure is not an option.
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