During the last decade or so, the performance of modern embedded systems has increased significantly. System speeds have now reached multi gigabit levels with the advancement in high speed board architectures and interconnect solutions.

This is great news for system architects but it does present hardware designers with some pretty challenging obstacles inside the system enclosure Increased levels of I/O from the PCBA environment to the outside world can be a particularly tough challenge.

Flexible circuits can provide a great solution for this as they allow the circuitry to fit the device rather than designing a device to fit the circuitry. If you are considering developing a system enclosure with multiple high speed I/O requirements and challenging mechanical constraints, perhaps a short summary of the advantages of using flexi circuits may help you with your decision.

• Size Flexible PCBs can be made very thin and can be substantially lighter and less bulky than hard wired I/O solutions. Versatility in design means flexible PCBs can be placed so as to permit
  improved airflow through the device.
• Reliability Flexible circuit boards require fewer interconnections such as contact crimps, solder joints and connectors F ewer interconnects fewer failure points increased MTBF
• Cost Savings Wiring and assembly errors are virtually eliminated because the flexible circuit board can only be installed the correct way. Manufacturing times and costs are reduced as fewer
  parts and man hours are needed MTTR times are also significantly reduced.
• Durability The materials used in manufacturing flexible printed circuit boards allow devices to be used in harsher environments
• Performance High speed I/O signal integrity remains intact as it is fully controlled within the PCB design rule environment

Here at BOSTON DESIGN we have long understood the advantages and application of flexi circuits in the rugged systems environment. We have helped many of our clients overcome their system design challenges with innovative PCBA and mechanical design solutions