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Flex PC software?

Flex PC software?

Flex PC software?

(OP)
Hi,

I wasn't sure which was the best forum to ask this, but I am currently designing a complex 3D flex PC for fitment into a plastic housing.

Can anyone recommend software that could flatten this part, which is nominally 2mm wide by 0.2mm thick, so our electrical engineers can overlay their routing etc.

Thanks in advance...

RE: Flex PC software?

I think I understand what you're asking for, but wouldn't it be cheaper to just figure out what the flex PCB would work out as in the 2D domain by hand?  I can't imagine a single part that is so complex in the 3D domain that couldn't be transformed into 2D with a couple hours worth of work.

Dan
Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

RE: Flex PC software?

I'm with Dan on this..

  I suspect most flex people do the designs entirely in 2D.  Usually can can break a 3D flex pattern board into typically three 2D areas.  Like the Landing End, the Flex Area and the Circuit Area.  This is because most flex boards have and end connected to some board to get the power onto it and signals off of it.  Some area where the bulk of the circuitry or sensors are located and the area that connects them.  So usually you just figure those three areas out and combine them.

  If it is some clustered hairball mess like a digital camera with a bunch of complex tentacles running every which way than I would not trust anything short of a piece of same thickness mylar Xacto knifed into a perfect pattern.  I'd probably use a 2D CAD pattern printed onto the mylar to remove human error in the 3 or 4 pattern attempts.  I tell you this would reduce secondary screw ups caused by pure 2D/3D CAD only ignorance too. (Those errors that slip thru because of a lack of reality.)

  I don't expect anyone would believe this to be a viable market(read 'big and uniform') to warrant developing and supporting a flex 3D => 2D mapper.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com

RE: Flex PC software?

Rhinoceros does a nice job of unwrapping sheet metal designed in 3D.  It claims to be able to flatten any developable surface.  I haven't tried anything as fancy as a camera circuit, but I have done some odd sheet metal.

It can read AutoCAD files and several other formats, but I usually find it's faster to just generate the 3D model of the parts I need within Rhino.

It can write the result to an AutoCAD file, and several other formats.  The AutoCAD file will be out of scale, unless you dimension one linear feature in Rhino.  I suspect that has to do with AutoCAD's dimensionless roots. It happens with Rhino 1.1, which I prefer.  It may have been fixed in later versions, or not.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Flex PC software?

(OP)
Hi all,

Thanks for the tips...Just to update on my progress and to add some information back into the mix.

The flex PC was in fact for some eyewear with some electronics attached...(But not an MP3 player!) Had modelled up the flex from the flat connections via a series of sweeps and lofts in Solidworks. I did have some luck tranlasting into ProE and unfolding segments which I then stiched together to create a flat pattern.

A freindly sheetmetal vendor also had some luck using Mechanical Desktop & Radan.

Am off to try the Rhino approach, but as Keith pointed out, will be checking the flat patterns with the prototypes when we get them back later this week...

Thanks to all your suggestions...

Richard

RE: Flex PC software?

richg1;
Wow!  Sounds like a fun project! Death Ray Laser Glasses..

Just for some info.  There is a large network of label bureaus that have CNC like Mylar cutters that are essentially a computer controlled large format printer with a knife.  They are used for making stickers like craft names.  You can usually select from a large stock of material that they load into the machine.  The one in my town will take lots of different file formats and will whack out stuff quickly.

You could have one of these shops cut a bunch of protos to see how they fit.

We use them sometimes for proto product labels.

Just a thought.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.- http://www.flaminsystems.com

RE: Flex PC software?

Yep, any decent sign shop that's local can put together a ton of protos... vector format files are generally preferred, especially those used in graphics programs (Photoshop and  the like).  some CAD file formats may be supported, but typically the support from sign shops is low... DXF is typically the limit.

Dan
Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

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