Flex PCB with multiple layers

[Zestje]

Hello,

A colleague of mine must model a flexible PCB, which has several material layers, each with it's own thickness (e.g. plastic, circuits, coating). ECAD functionality for the layers is not required, but nice to have.
I need to be able to show the bent state in 3D and the unrolled state in 2D.

Is it possible to create a part with multiple layers, which I can still bend as one part (e.g. with sheetmetal)?
Or is it possible to have an assembly for the flex (one part for each layer), which you can bend as a whole?
Are there other/better ways to achieve this kind of part in ProE?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[rtproeguy]

i have done this using the sheetmetal module. its a little tricky but you can develope a 3d flex circuit that can be flattened into a 2d state and exchanged back and forth from your ecad guys/gals. the individual layers should not matter on the mechanical side of things, only on the ecad side where the electrical trace routing and any smt componentsare done. hope this helps and good luck.

 

[n.f.thomas]

I'm interested in this thread as I'm working on similar projects right now.


I understand that you could flatten a 3d flex circuit (part) using Sheetmetal, but if you're using the (pcb) part in an assembly, created using the IDF interface for example, and where component placement is controlled by the ECAD system and a common coordinate system, is there any way that the assembly can be shown in it's bent, 'as-used-in-assembly' state rather than only it's flat state?





Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[Zestje]

Hello,

@n.f.thomas:
Check this thread http://www.mcadcentral.com/proe/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=30 611&KW=flex+pcb
It might help you a bit.

@trproeguy:
Did you use a single part or an assembly, because I believe the main problem will be that our customer want to have all the separate layers of material. Actually putting layout information on them is not required, so I thinks it's a little different from what you have done?

 

[jimshaw]

Zestje - That link did not work, can you double check it?


This is a hot topic in the ECAD/MCAD world as flex circuits become more and more popular. We have made them in the past as an assembly. One part was made using sheetmetal, let's say an "L" shape with 3 "boards", one on each end and one at the knee. Each board would get bent in a plane towards the knee, resulting in 3 adjacent sides of a cube. Got it pictured yet?


This part was put into an assembly at default. The key to the ECAD import is the CSYS which is used to place the parts on import (managed by a config.pro option). 3 CSYS's were used for each of the 3 boards. 3 separate ECAD files were imported using each csys, thus properly placing the components. The CSYS were referenced to the L such that they moved when the part was bent and flattened (actually only 2 of the boards moved, the one in the middle stayed put). Since the parts were placed relative to the CSYS, they updated perfectly. Simp reps (or a fam table) can be used to activate the bent/flattened SM part from the assembly.


We used the bent Simp rep (or instance) for assembly, and the flattened one for a drawing. NOTE: This all hinged upon the fact that our EE counterparts treated the design as 3 separate boards in their 2D layout tool (Allegro). This methodology must be decided on well before the curcuit design begins - and requires much communication between EE/ME.


How does this sound? I'm sorry, but I don't have screenshots readily available...

 

[kwillo]

No space between the 30 and 611. Try this:


[url]http://www.mcadcentral.com/proe/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=30 611&KW=flex+pcb[/url]