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
Free DFM Tool: Enhancing PCB Design Efficiency
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) guarantees that the design is best suited for manufacturing and assembly, it is a key process in printed circuit board (PCB) design. Using a Free DFM Tool will improve accuracy and efficiency, by greatly streamlining this process. The advantages of Free DFM Tools, their place in PCB design, and how they could affect your projects are discussed in this article. We will also discuss some typical problems and fixes related to using these tools, highlighting their applic......
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA): Optimizing Efficiency in Product Development
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) is an essential engineering tool that helps products be simpler to manufacture and assemble. DFMA enables businesses to reduce costs, prevent errors, and hasten product introduction, by combining the design and manufacturing processes. In areas such as electronics, automotive, aircraft, and consumer goods where exact and complex products are highly valued, this approach performs particularly effectively. highlighting fundamental ideas, advantages, and the b......
Understanding the Importance of DFM Analysis in PCB Design
Design for Manufacturing (DFM) analysis helps you on whether a printed circuit board (PCB) is fit for manufacturing, assembly, and sales. Early in the planning process, it looks for and fixes any possible problems arising throughout production. This will increase manufacturing efficiency and help to save expenses. DFM analysis is quite vital in the complex world of electronics, where even little design errors can create delays costing a lot of money. This article discusses the different types of DFM i......
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.......
The Ultimate Guide to PCB Panelization: Tools and Techniques
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the backbone of modern electronics. One critical aspect of PCB manufacturing is panelization — the process of arranging multiple PCBs onto a single larger panel for efficient manufacturing and assembly. This technique allows multiple boards to be processed simultaneously, significantly reducing costs and improving production efficiency. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive guide to PCB panelization, covering the tools and techniques required for successful......
Common Design Issues and Recommendations for PCB Optimized Design
To help customers avoid common issues that may arise during the PCB production process due to design problems, we' ve summarized the most frequent cases below. These issues have been detailed on our website to assist customers in identifying and addressing them more effectively. The following points include important design considerations and suggested modifications: 1. Missing Slots, Cutouts, Millings and V-Cut Issue: Missing Slots, Cutouts, Millings and V-Cut due to improper design. Recommendation: ......