PCB/EDA specialized for FLEX? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: candrian
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2021, 07:28:22 pm
content: Hello,I have seen in the past several photos of DSLR camera teardowns and i was really impressed with the routing and mounting of the flex PCB itself around the camera's housing. As the routing of the flex cables, around the housing is mostly a mechanical task i was wondering if there is a PCB/EDA software that gives you the option to route/design the flex PCBs around a 3D step model (housing) and then unfold the design/flex and convert it to the new PCB flex board outline to work on.From what i have seen since now, there is the option to design a Flex PCB and bend it a specific amount of degrees but i'm not aware of any solution that will let you route/design the Flex around any 3D model/housing and then unfold it and convert it to the flex board outline.https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/MCLmUSsFFytBCjbU.huge

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2021, 08:34:32 pm
content: Typically it works the other way around. You design the board outline in a mechanical CAD, then flatten it and import the flat outline into the EDA. I don't think there are EDAs with such advanced 3D editing capabilities, it would not make much sense.

author: Uky
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2021, 04:13:15 pm
content: SolidWorks (Dassault) has a cable module that allows the user to create a cable, route it around complex objects inside a case and then export it. If it can flattern a flex to a .DXF that can be imported into a CAD-system that handles special design rules used for FLEX, I cannot say, but it could be worth checking out.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2021, 05:42:26 am
content: Altium has flex/semirigid support, including bending points so you can have an assembly fold up on itself, or in an enclosure etc. I don't think you can twist a section lengthwise, just a straight crease of given angle. So if you aren't using that kind of bend it should be fine.I don't know that you'd want to fit a board into an existing model yourself, versus getting the board outline from mechanical engineering -- but given enough adjustment, checking back and forth between the 3D model and the folded board, you can do that, I'm pretty sure.Tim

author: candrian
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2021, 07:40:31 am
content: Thank you all for your valuable replies. So it seems there isn't a dedicated software / plugin to combine the PCB and mechanical design for easier Flex designs. It continues to be the traditional way, first designing the mechanical outline in a dedicated mechanical CAD sw like Solidworks for example and then flattening it down and insert in a ECAD/PCB design.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2021, 06:17:35 pm
content: FreeCAD has a "sheet metal" workbench, in which you can first draw something, and then "fold it flat" to get it's size. Then you can export it to some PCB design program.

author: rpiloverbd
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2021, 09:55:06 pm
content: Hello,EEVblog has a long video tutorial on designing flex PCBs in Altium. Just in case you have missed it, I am sharing the link.You can also know about all the processes of design and fabrication and flex PCBs from the following article:https://www.theengineeringprojects.com/2018/04/flexible-pcb.html