ISO 13485 Flexible PCB Manufacturing for Medical Devices
Medical devices are becoming smaller, smarter, and more connected, creating greater demand for compact electronics that can perform reliably in tight spaces. Flexible printed circuits help support this shift by enabling lightweight, space-saving designs for wearables, diagnostic equipment, surgical tools, and...
Flex PCB Design Considerations for Point‑of‑Care Medical Devices
Point‑of‑care (POC) medical devices are designed to deliver diagnostics and monitoring directly at the patient’s location rather than in centralized laboratories. These systems must be compact, portable, energy‑efficient, and highly reliable. Flexible printed circuits (flex PCBs) are frequently used in these devices because they...
Highlights from Space Tech Expo USA 2026
Space Tech Expo USA 2026 brought together a wide range of companies working across satellites, launch systems, defense space programs, lunar infrastructure, in-space manufacturing, robotics, power systems, optical communications, RF technology, testing, interconnect, software, and advanced components. Held June 2-4 in Anaheim, California, the event offered a strong look...
What Are Metal Core PCBs Used For? Applications, Benefits, and Industry Examples
As electronic devices become more powerful and compact, managing heat has become one of the most important challenges in product design. Excessive heat can reduce performance, shorten component lifespan, and increase the risk of failure. This is especially true in applications that rely on high-power LEDs, power semiconductors, and densely...
Rigid-Flex PCB vs. Flex PCB with a Rigidizer: Benefits, Differences, Costs, and Best-Fit Applications
When engineers need a circuit that can bend, fit into tight spaces, or replace bulky wire harnesses, flexible circuitry is often the right direction. But once a design also requires component support, connector stability, or selective stiffness, the decision becomes more specific: should the...
When Is Impedance Control Required in Flex and Rigid PCB Design?
When Is Impedance Control Required in Flex and Rigid PCB Design?
As electronic systems become faster, smaller, and more complex, maintaining signal integrity across printed circuit boards is increasingly important. One of the key design considerations for high-performance electronics is controlled impedance. While...
Highlights of Sensors Converge 2026
The future of intelligent electronics is becoming smaller, faster, smarter, and more connected — and few events showcase that transformation better than Sensors Converge 2026.Held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Sensors Converge brings together engineers, innovators, semiconductor leaders, embedded system developers, AI companies, automotive technology firms,...
PICA Total Cost of Ownership
PICA’s Approach to Total Cost of Ownership in Electronics Manufacturing
When companies evaluate manufacturing options, quoted piece price is often the first number they compare. It matters, but it is rarely the full cost. In electronics manufacturing, total cost of ownership is also shaped by supplier fit, engineering support, quality...
Membrane Switch: Custom Keypads for Reliable User Interfaces
Introduction
When you press the buttons on a medical device, industrial controller, or appliance, there is a good chance you are interacting with a membrane switch. These low-profile, sealed keypads give designers a reliable way to turn complex electronics into simple, easy-to-use...
What Is Dynamic Flex PCB? Designing Flexible Circuits for Continuous Motion
Dynamic flex PCBs are where flexible circuit design stops being “just about fitting in tight spaces” and starts being about surviving motion—hundreds of thousands or even millions of bend cycles without cracking, drifting out of spec, or failing at the worst possible time.If you design wearables, medical...
SATELLITE 2026: Featured Innovators Driving the Future of Space and Connectivity
SATELLITE 2026 brought the global satellite, space, defense, and communications industries to Washington, D.C. from March 23-26, 2026. The show highlighted where the market is moving next: multi-orbit connectivity, tactical communications, phased-array systems, direct-to-device services, and more compact, rugged electronics platforms.For PICA Manufacturing Solutions,...
Hole Riveting in Electronics: Reinforcing Connections in Circuit Assemblies
As electronic assemblies become more compact and mechanically complex, manufacturers must ensure that electrical connections remain secure under vibration, handling, and long-term operational stress. One technique used to strengthen these connections is hole riveting.Hole riveting is a mechanical fastening method that uses small metal rivets inserted through pre-drilled or punched...
PCB, Flex & PCBA Cost Pressures in 2026: What OEMs Need to Watch
Electronics manufacturing is heading into 2026 under pressure from several directions at once. Rising metals costs, laminate and prepreg repricing, labor shifts in key manufacturing regions, foreign exchange movement, and tighter capacity tied to AI and data-center demand are all contributing to higher PCB,
Integrated Flex Circuits and Injection Molding for Electronic Devices
At PICA Manufacturing Solutions, we believe the future of electronics is not built component by component, it is engineered as a fully integrated system.As products become smaller, more functional, and more design-driven, the traditional model of separating electrical, mechanical, and assembly processes across multiple suppliers is no longer efficient. It...
How Flex PCBs Are Shielded for EMI and RFI Protection
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) can disrupt signal quality, create data errors, and reduce overall circuit reliability. As electronics become smaller, faster, and more densely packaged, shielding has become an increasingly important part of flex PCB design. This is especially true in products that...
Nickel Tab Mounting on Flex Circuits: Strengthening Electrical and Mechanical Connections
Flexible circuits are often chosen for their ability to route signals through tight spaces while tolerating bending and movement. However, the connection points of a flex circuit can experience significant mechanical and electrical stress, especially in high-power or high-reliability applications.One solution used in advanced flex circuit assemblies...
How to Choose Flex PCB Materials for Bend Reliability, Heat, and Cost
A practical step-by-step method for choosing materials that hold up in bending, assembly, and real environmentsFlex material selection is a tradeoff exercise. The right stack-up is the one that meets the mechanical mission first, then satisfies electrical, thermal, environmental, and compliance constraints without creating cost or lead-time...
Alternatives to Copper in Flexible Circuits
Copper has been the backbone of flexible printed circuits (FPCs) for decades, and for good reasons. While new materials and additive technologies are expanding the design toolbox, copper remains the benchmark conductor for traditional flexible circuits made using subtractive processes.Before exploring alternatives, it’s important to understand why...
What Auxiliary Materials Are Used in Flex PCBs? Stiffeners, EMI Shielding, Spacers, and Adhesives?
Stiffener, EMI Shielding, Release liners, spacers, marking inks, thermally conductive adhesive films, and PSA selection guidance.When engineers talk about flex PCB materials, the focus is usually on the core stack-up: substrate film, copper, adhesives, and coverlay. But many reliability and assembly issues are driven...
