FPC Panelization Design Standards and Requirements
5 min
- General Panelization Guidelines
- Small Size Board Panelization Requirements
- Conclusion
FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Board) panelization is the process of arranging multiple FPC boards onto a single panel for efficient production. Proper panelization is crucial for optimizing material utilization, reducing production costs, and ensuring product quality. JLCPCB recommends following these standards to achieve the best yield and compatibility with SMT processes.
General Panelization Guidelines
Irregularly Shaped Frames: For irregularly shaped FPC frames, consider using JLC's irregular panelization service to maximize material utilization and simplify production.
Stamp Hole and V-CUT Processes: FPC does not support stamp hole and V-CUT processes. Instead, use bridge connection designs for board separation.
FPC Design Requirements
1. Panel Spacing
- Generally, maintain a distance of 2mm between boards.
- For areas reinforced with a steel sheet, increase the spacing to 3mm.
2. Process Edge Design
- Establish a process edge width of 5mm on all sides.
- Cover the process edges with copper, ensuring copper is present throughout the borders except 1 mm clearance around fiducials and 0.5 mm around tooling holes (positioning holes).
- Add four 2mm diameter positioning holes（tooling holes）on the process edge, with one offset by 5mm for error prevention.
- Include four SMT optical points (fiducials) with a 1mm diameter, centered 3.85mm from the panel edge, with one offset by 5mm for error prevention. These fiducials serve as alignment references for SMT placement machines.
3. Bridge Connection Length
- Specify a bridge connection length between 0.7-1.0mm.
- For areas reinforced with a steel sheet, aim for a bridge length of 1mm and increase the number of bridge connections to prevent deformation during SMT.
4. Panel Size:
- Recommended panel size for optimal production: 234 × 490 mm
- Absolute maximum panel size: 250 × 500 mm
- Minimum panel size: 70 × 70 mm
5. SMT Scrap Board Optical Points
- For boards requiring component placement, add scrap board optical points adjacent to each small board.
- If a small board is scrapped during production, the board manufacturer will blacken the corresponding optical point. The placement machine will recognize this and skip component placement, saving costs.
6. Steel Sheet Reinforcement Panelization
- Maintain a spacing of at least 3mm between boards in areas reinforced with a steel sheet (metal stiffeners).
- Cut grooves around the steel sheet area with a width of 0.8mm to facilitate laser forming（required for laser cutting of stiffeners）.
7. Material Utilization
- Consider material utilization in mass production to minimize costs.
- Design widths as 119mm or 250mm.
- Avoid excessively large board sizes for designs with trace/space widths under 3 mil or those fully covered with a steel sheet.
FPC Panelization Example
FPC Panelization example 1:
FPC Panelization Example 2
FPC Panelization Example 3
If self-panelization is challenging, JLCPCB offers a third-party panelization service. Simply provide the single-board GERBER file and let JLCPCB engineers handle the panelization process.
Small Size Board Panelization Requirements
When the size of a single board is small, production on the line can be problematic, hence panelization is recommended.
1. The minimum size requirement for FPC+SMT boards is 70*70mm; smaller sizes require panelization or the addition of process edges to reach this size
2. For single board sizes less than 50*50mm, panelization production is recommended.
3. For sizes less than 10 × 10 mm, panelization is mandatory, or opt for film delivery (microfilm/tape delivery may be available for ultra-small boards).
Small Size Board Panelization example 1:
Small Size Board Panelization example 2
Small Size Board Panelization example 3
By adhering to these FPC panelization design standards and requirements, engineers can optimize their designs for efficient production, reduced costs, and enhanced product quality.
Conclusion
In conclusion, proper FPC panelization is a critical step that directly impacts production efficiency, material utilization, and final product reliability. By strictly following the design standards outlined in this document—including 2–3 mm board spacing, 5 mm process edges with precise fiducials and tooling holes, 0.7–1.0 mm bridge connections, recommended panel sizes of 234 × 490 mm, and specialized requirements for steel-sheet reinforcement and ultra-small boards—engineers can maximize yield, reduce costs, and ensure seamless compatibility with SMT processes. Whether handling irregular shapes, small-size boards (below 70 × 70 mm), or complex reinforced designs, adhering to these guidelines minimizes manufacturing risks and eliminates the need for unsupported processes such as stamp holes or V-CUT. For designers facing challenges with self-panelization, JLCPCB’s professional third-party panelization service offers a reliable and efficient alternative. Ultimately, optimized panelization not only lowers overall production expenses but also guarantees higher quality and faster time-to-market for flexible printed circuit applications.
Q: Does FPC support stamp hole or V-CUT processes?
No. FPC uses bridge connection designs (0.7–1.0 mm length) for board separation instead.
Q: What is the recommended panel size?
Recommended size for optimal production is 234 × 490 mm. Absolute maximum is 250 × 500 mm; minimum is 70 × 70 mm.
Q: What are the special requirements for steel-sheet reinforced areas?
Maintain at least 3 mm board spacing and cut 0.8 mm wide grooves around the steel sheet to facilitate laser forming.
Q: How should very small FPC boards be handled?
Boards smaller than 70 × 70 mm require panelization. For sizes under 10 × 10 mm, panelization is mandatory or film delivery may be used.
Keep Learning
How to Avoid Shorts and Open Circuits in Dry Film Etching Process
When utilizing the dry film etching process, it is crucial to take precautions to prevent short circuits and open circuits in printed circuit boards (PCBs). JLCPCB emphasizes specific considerations to ensure the integrity and functionality of PCB designs. This article provides guidelines for maintaining adequate trace width and spacing as well as utilizing hatched copper pours effectively to avoid defects during the dry film etching process. Maintaining Adequate Trace Width and Spacing JLCPCB employs......
How to Set PCB Via Tenting in PCB Design Software
Introduction Via tenting refers to covering the via pads and holes with solder mask ink (also known as solder resist), preventing solder from adhering to the pads. This is a process widely used in most circuit boards. It's a critical part of PCB design, protecting the vias and enhancing the board’s durability and performance. In this guide, we'll show you how to configure PCB via tenting in commonly used software such as Altium Designer (AD) and Protel 99 to ensure your Gerber files meet the required ......
FPC Panelization Design Standards and Requirements
FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Board) panelization is the process of arranging multiple FPC boards onto a single panel for efficient production. Proper panelization is crucial for optimizing material utilization, reducing production costs, and ensuring product quality. JLCPCB recommends following these standards to achieve the best yield and compatibility with SMT processes. General Panelization Guidelines Irregularly Shaped Frames: For irregularly shaped FPC frames, consider using JLC's irregular pane......
Thermal Vias in PCB Design for Heat Management
Thermal vias are specialized vias designed to transfer heat from one layer of a PCB to another. These vias are placed near heat-generating components to create a thermal pathway, helping to dissipate heat and reduce the risk of overheating. They are often used with heat sinks, thermal pads, or copper planes to enhance their effectiveness. They are simply plated through holes (PTHs) that are located under a surface-mounted heat source component in a printed circuit board (PCB) that allow heat transfer.......
Enhanced PCB Design Efficiency with Mouse Bites
PCB design is a crucial aspect of electronics manufacturing, and optimizing the design can significantly enhance manufacturing efficiency while reducing costs and waste. One design element that can improve efficiency is the implementation of mouse bites. Mouse bites are small cuts or grooves made in a PCB to facilitate its separation into individual pieces during the manufacturing process. In this article, we will explore the role of mouse bites in PCB design, their advantages and disadvantages, desig......
Critical Aspect of PCB Panel Size
PCB panel size is a major factor in designing printed circuit boards because it directly affects how quickly they can be manufactured, how they are assembled, and how much they generally cost. From home electronics to heavy industrial, PCBs are the building blocks of practically all devices in the modern electronics. This article covers the importance of PCB panel size, the elements affecting it, the best approaches to maximize it, and its applications in multiple sectors. 1. What is PCB Panel Size? P......