Where to get a flat laptop ribbon cable - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: ME
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 10:04:08 am
content: I have a laptop that has a break in the ribbon cable from the mainboard to the switch panell, its a hp elitebook 8730w, does any pcb companies make replacement ribbon cables to order? ,ie pcbway etc?.

author: squadchannel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 10:06:00 am
content: any pictures?

author: ME
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 10:40:01 am
content: heres a pic.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 10:41:35 am
content: Try google image search for the laptop module number + ribbon cable or switch panel etc..see if you can find its part number by image search

author: ME
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 10:53:50 am
content: Was my question not where to get a new replacement, as in do any pcb firms make these cables to order, no of conductors width/ length etc?,thats what i am asking,ie who makes these cables?.

author: squadchannel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 10:56:03 am
content: "12pin (pitch mm) FFC cable" search on google.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 10:58:52 am
content: Yes, lots of places in china make them to order from basic specs. Length, pitch, pincount, etc..There will be a min order quantity though.PCBway would make them too, but you'd need to have some PCB design experience to go down that route.If you search flex cables on Aliexpress you might find a seller who says they can also do custom cables in low volumes.

author: squadchannel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 11:09:31 am
content: Yes, it is possible to have it manufactured. It costs tens of dollars.Amazon will few dollars. Don't even think about designing and manufacturing it. Buy it.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 11:26:26 am
content: Quote from: ME on June 08, 2025, 10:04:08 amJust an FYI: for historical reasons, the term “ribbon cable” means the kind of cable that consists of many individual insulated wires whose insulations are stuck together side by side. For example, the cable used on old parallel ATA disk drives in computers.What you show in the picture is what’s known as a flat-flex cable or FFC.With that knowledge you should have much greater success searching for the part.

author: ME
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 11:52:54 am
content: thanks folks, The hunt starts.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 12:11:22 pm
content: Suggesting making a custom part to replace this is absolutely ridiculous. What it the other end of the FFC, the same as the broken one? Looks like it's an off the shelf FFC and all you need is a right pitch and length. And even if it was a custom HP part, you still should be able to buy it for a few $.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 12:43:22 pm
content: depends what's on the other end.If its the same both ends its easy to find something off the shelf. Even if its too long, and you can fold at 45 to create right angles.But if it's got totally different ends, or one is a fork multiple ends, then it's more tricky.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 08:03:29 pm
content: If there is a bit of slack, I have had success just grinding away the insulation layer to expose the conductors and then gluing a strip of scrap plastic (e.g. cut out from packaging) to create a slightly shorter new end. Otherwise if it's just a straight-through cable, they are very cheap and readily available standard part, although you may still have to cut and redo one end if the available lengths are too long.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 08:08:38 pm
content: Quote from: amyk on June 08, 2025, 08:03:29 pmYou should never cut a good FFC, it's stupid, not to say you will have a piss-poor mangled bare copper surface as a result. If it's too long, just fold it to get an appropriate length.

author: ME
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2025, 11:42:00 pm
content: The flex seems to be 14mm wide , with 12 conductors would that = a 0.1mm spacing?.

author: SuzyC
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2025, 12:02:55 am
content: .1 mm spacing seems to be very likely mis-measured.

author: xvr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2025, 11:36:07 am
content: Quote from: ME on June 08, 2025, 11:42:00 pm14/12 = 1.17, not 0.1I think this is 1mm pitch cable

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2025, 06:59:23 pm
content: Quote from: xvr on June 09, 2025, 11:36:07 amThat calculation does not make sense. With 12 conductors, there are only 11 pitch distances in between the connector, and on the sides there is also some plastic. (Which brings it again close to 12 pitches, but I'm not sure if that would be exact. I am guessing the actual pitch is 1.27mm, which is very close to 1/10th of a Banana.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 09, 2025, 07:28:32 pm
content: Quote from: Doctorandus_P on June 09, 2025, 06:59:23 pmDid you have a brainfuck or what? 11mm between centers of outward pads + 1.5mm from the pad center to the edge. How 1.27mm pitch is even supposed to fit into 14mm cable width?

author: ME
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2025, 05:50:37 am
content: So to recap the cable width is as near as dam it is 14mm total and is has 12 conductors,what cable spacing should i order?.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2025, 07:00:24 am
content: Quote from: ME on June 10, 2025, 05:50:37 amYou have to measure thepitch, the center-to-center distance of the pads/conductors.

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2025, 12:11:26 am
content: Typical 12-conductor 1.0mm pitch FFC is 13mm±0.1mm wide –– forNconductors, (1+N)×pitch.I think Molex 1.00mm Pitch Premo-Flex FFC best matches OP's picture.In addition to the length, check if the ends have pads on the same side, or on the opposite side.Mouser has these in stock in at least 51mm, 102mm, 153mm, 204mm, and 254mm lengths.You can of course find cables made by other brands for much cheaper at e.g. LCSC.