As modern electronics become thinner, smaller, and more compact, the need for special cables to route signals and power in these densely packed devices has increased. Flexible flat ribbon cables have emerged as a key solution for these modern devices. In this blog post, we’ll explore the various aspects of flexible flat ribbon cables and their applications.
What are Flexible Flat Ribbon Cables?
Flexible flat cables (FFCs) are electric cables made up of a plastic film that bonds several metallic conductors. These cables are known for their thin and flexible nature, which allows easy circuitry connections in today’s advanced electronics. Often, FFCs are confused with flexible printed circuits (FPCs). While FPCs refer to printed circuits built on a flexible base with components on it, FFCs consist of straight connections without any components. This makes FFCs ideal for use in cell phones, laptops, and other high-density electronics.
Flexible Flat Ribbon Cable Applications
The adaptability, connector types, pitches, and cost-effective nature of FFCs make them common in applications requiring PCB linking and high-density electronics. They are often found in foldable mobile phones, moving printer heads, and laptop hinges. Additionally, FFCs are used in devices with space and weight limitations, such as printers, scanners, plotters, stereos, LCDs, fax machines, and many other electronics.
Advantages of Flexible Flat Ribbon Cables
There are several reasons why flexible flat ribbon cables are preferred over other types of cables for wire-to-board connections:
– Flexibility: The wires in FFCs are placed individually without wrapping, making them extremely flexible. They occupy less space, offer better protection from EMI/RFI, and eliminate wire coupling issues.
– Space Efficiency: FFC cables are thin due to their plastic film base and side-by-side metallic conductors. This makes them ideal for applications with limited space.
– Customizability: FFCs can be customized to suit exact design specifications, including labels, black insulators, and sticky tapes.
– ZIF Connectors: Assembled using Zero Insertion Force connectors, FFCs avoid contact damage and remain securely in place even in high-vibration situations.
The Adaptability of Flexible Flat Ribbon Cables
The adaptability of FFC cables depends on several factors:
– Number of Conductors: FFC cables can have a few to over 100 conductors (pins). For instance, a 15-pin cable has 15 conductors.
– Pitch: This is the distance between the centers of two conductors. Common pitches include 0.5mm, 0.625mm, 0.8mm, 1mm, 1.25mm, 1.27mm, 2mm, and 2.54mm.
– Type: Type 1 (Type A) cables have all exposed contacts on the same side, while Type 2 (Type D) cables have contacts on opposite ends.
– Exposure Length: This refers to the length of the electrical contact at the cable end.
– Stiffener: Material attached to the unexposed side of the contacts for easy ZIF and LIF connections.
– Conductor Size: The thickness and width of the conductors.
Custom FFC Cable Assembly at Gerawell
At Gerawell, we provide low-profile FFC cables compatible with a wide range of Zero Insertion Force connectors, ideal for applications with space constraints and movable parts, such as scanners, printers, medical electronics, and POS systems. Our customization options include different pitch sizes (0.3mm, 0.5mm, 1mm), up to 80 conductors, various cable lengths (30mm to 1 meter), pre-folded cables, high-temperature cables, gold-plated contacts, Type A and Type D contacts, and UL-20624 certified cables made from PET material.
Flexible flat ribbon cables offer the agility and lightness needed for various industries, making them a perfect connectivity solution. At Gerawell, we pride ourselves on providing high-quality FFC cables that meet specific design requirements, ensuring easy installation and enhanced performance across different industrial applications.