Rigid-Flex PCB Capabilities & Specifications
Standard · Medium difficulty (prototypes only) · High difficulty
Rigid-flex PCB process capability tables
114 parameters, with the items, grouping and order exactly as in the source capability sheet.
| Item | Parameter | Standard capability | Medium difficulty (prototype only) | High difficulty / custom | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process & construction | Layer count | 1-6L | 6 layers < Layer < 20 layers | 20 layers < Layer < 32 layers | |
| Blind/buried via, via-in-pad | None | Via-in-pad process; blind via 1 time on rigid layer; buried via 1 time on flex layer | Blind via and via-in-pad exist simultaneously; blind via on outer flex layer | ||
| Structure | Single flex layer (flex in middle layer) | Multiple flex layers (flex in middle layer); flex on top/bottom layers; single flex layer with flying tail structure | HDI; asymmetrical rigid thickness (left/right); single flex layer with flying tail; multiple flex layers on top/bottom | ||
| Surface finish | ENIG (+ gold fingers), OSP, immersion silver, immersion tin, ENEPIG, gold plating, HASL | Selective gold plating (nickel/gold) | |||
| Board material | FR4+PI | ROGERS4 series+PI | Other high-frequency / high-speed materials + PI | ||
| Prepreg | No-flow PP, pure adhesive film | ||||
| Drilling | Drill bit diameter (CNC drilling) | 0.15mm ≤ bit diameter ≤ 6.0mm (milling used above 6.0mm). Max board thickness: 1.5mm for a 0.15mm bit; 2.0mm for a 0.2mm bit; 3.2mm for 0.25mm≤Φ≤0.35mm; 4.8mm for 0.4mm≤Φ≤0.55mm; 6.4mm for bits >0.55mm. | 1) For diameters > 6.0mm, ±0.1mm ≤ hole diameter tolerance; for 0.15mm diameter, board thickness ≤ 1.2mm. 2) For diameters >6.0mm, CNC milling is used. | Diameter > 6.0mm with tolerance < ±0.1mm, or 0.15mm diameter on boards > 1.5mm: custom per project. | |
| Laser drilling (HDI steps) | 1-step HDI rigid-flex | 2-step HDI rigid-flex | 3-step or higher HDI rigid-flex | ||
| Laser drilling via diameter | 0.075-0.15mm | ||||
| Aspect ratio, AR = (drill depth)/(drill diameter) | Aspect ratio < 10; 0.8:1 (blind via) | 10 ≤ aspect ratio ≤ 12; 0.8:1 (blind via) | Aspect ratio > 12; 0.8:1 (blind via) | ||
| Countersink hole diameter | 3.0mm ≤ hole diameter ≤ 6.5mm | Custom per project | |||
| Countersink hole angle | 90° | Custom per project | |||
| Hole position tolerance | ±0.1mm | ±0.075mm | ±0.05mm | ||
| Hole diameter tolerance (PTH) | ≥±0.075mm, or customer no spec | ±0.05≤Tolerance＜±0.075mm | ＜±0.05mm | ||
| Hole diameter tolerance (NPTH) | ≥±0.05mm | ≥±0.05mm | ＜±0.05mm | ||
| Hole-to-hole spacing | ≥10MIL | 8 ≤ hole-to-hole spacing ≤ 10 | ＜8mil | ||
| Hole-to-rigid-flex interface distance | ≥1mm | ≥0.8mm | ≥0.5mm | ||
| Image transfer | Inner layer min. trace/space (before compensation), copper thickness 18um | ≥3/3 mil | ≥2/2 mil | ＜1.5/2 mil | |
| Inner layer min. trace/space (before compensation), copper thickness 35um | ≥3/4 mil | ≥2.5/3 mil | ＜2.5/3 mil | ||
| Inner layer min. trace/space (before compensation), copper thickness 75um | ≥5/7 mil | ≥5/6 mil | ＜5/6 mil (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜5/5 mil) | ||
| Inner layer min. trace/space (before compensation), copper thickness 105um | ≥6/10 mil | ≥6/9 mil | ＜6/9 mil (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜6/8mil) | ||
| Outer layer min. trace/space (before compensation), copper thickness 18um | ≥4/4 mil | ≥3/4 mil, or localized 3/3 mil | ＜3/3 mil | <3/3 mil (localized 3/3 mil limited to BGA area, chip area, or parallel traces ≤5 rows) | |
| Outer layer min. trace/space (before compensation), copper thickness 35um | ≥4/6 mil | ≥4/5 mil | ＜4/5 mil (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜4/4 mil) | ||
| Outer layer min. trace/space (before compensation), copper thickness 75um | ≥5/8 mil | ≥5/7 mil | ＜5/7 mil (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜5/6 mil) | ||
| Outer layer min. trace/space (before compensation), copper thickness 105um | ≥8/12 mil | ≥6/10 mil | ＜6/10 mil (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜6/9 mil) | ||
| Min. annular ring, Cu 18um (via) | ≥4mil | ≥3mil | ＜3 mil | ||
| Min. annular ring, Cu 18um (component hole) | ≥7mil | ≥6mil | ＜6 mil | ||
| Min. annular ring, Cu 35um (via) | ≥5mil | ≥4mil | ＜3 mil | ||
| Min. annular ring, Cu 35um (component hole) | ≥7mil | ≥6mil | ＜8 mil | ||
| Min. annular ring, Cu 75um (via) | ≥6mil | ≥5mil | ＜5 mil | ||
| Min. annular ring, Cu 75um (component hole) | ≥12mil | ≥10mil | ＜10 mil | ||
| Min. annular ring, Cu 105um (via) | ≥8mil | ≥6mil | ＜6 mil | ||
| Min. annular ring, Cu 105um (component hole) | ≥14mil | ≥12mil | ＜12 mil | ||
| Trace width tolerance | Tolerance ≥ ±20% | ±10% ≤ tolerance ＜ ±20% | ＜±10% | ||
| BGA pad diameter (HASL) | 12MIL | 10MIL | 8MIL (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜6mil) | ||
| BGA pad diameter (ENIG) | Diameter ≥ 11mil | 8.0mil ≤ diameter ＜ 11.0mil | Diameter ＜ 8mil (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜6mil) | ||
| Inner layer min. hole-to-copper distance (before compensation), 4L | ≥8MIL | 7MIL≤Dist.<8MIL | 6MIL≤Dist.<7MIL (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜6mil) | For component dimension >400mm single side, inner layer hole-to-copper spacing is ≥16 mil; smaller spacing is custom per project. | |
| Inner layer min. hole-to-copper distance (before compensation), 6L | ≥9MIL | 8MIL≤Dist.<9MIL | 6.5MIL≤Dist.<8MIL (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜6.5mil) | ||
| Inner layer min. hole-to-copper distance (before compensation), 8L | ≥10MIL | 8MIL≤Dist.<10MIL | 7MIL≤Dist.<8MIL (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜7mil) | ||
| Inner layer min. hole-to-copper distance (before compensation), ≥10L | ≥12MIL | 10MIL<Dist.<12MIL | 7.5MIL≤Dist.<10MIL (sheet lists a further, tighter ＜7.5mil) | ||
| Min. isolation ring, 4L | ≥8MIL | ≥8MIL | ≥8MIL | ||
| Min. isolation ring, 6L | ≥9MIL | ≥8MIL | ≥8MIL | ||
| Min. isolation ring, 8L | ≥10MIL | ≥9MIL | ≥8MIL | ||
| Min. isolation ring, ≥10L | ≥12MIL | ≥12MIL | ≥12MIL | ||
| Trace-to-board-edge distance (CNC milling, rigid area) | ≥0.25mm | ≥0.20mm | ＜0.20mm | ||
| Trace-to-board-edge distance (laser, flex area) | ≥0.2mm | ≥0.15mm | <0.15mm | ||
| Trace-to-board-edge distance (rigid-flex interface) | ≥0.5mm | ≥0.25mm | ＜0.25mm | ||
| SMT width | 12mil | 8mil | <8 mil (sheet lists a further, tighter <4mil) | ||
| Metal plating | ENIG nickel thickness (μin) | 100-150 | 200 | ＞200 | |
| ENIG gold thickness (μin) | 1-5 | 5-8 | Sheet leaves the high-difficulty tier blank and lists only a further, tighter ＞8 | ||
| Full body gold plating, nickel thickness (μin) | 100-150 | 200 | ＞200 | ||
| Full body gold plating, gold thickness (μin) | 1-10 | 10-50 | Sheet leaves the high-difficulty tier blank and lists only a further, tighter ＞50 | ||
| Gold fingers, nickel thickness (μin) | 120-150 | 200 | ＞200 | ||
| Gold fingers, gold thickness (μin) | 1-10 | 10-50 | Sheet leaves the high-difficulty tier blank and lists only a further, tighter ＞50 | ||
| Plated through hole copper thickness (μm) | 18-25 | 25-50 | ＞50 | If medium difficulty exists simultaneously for items 2, 8 and 21, the product is classified as high difficulty. Hole Cu thickness 25-50μm comes with a surface Cu thickness requirement (typically 2-3 OZ). | |
| Blind via copper thickness (μm) | 18-25 | 25-50 | ＞50 | ||
| Buried via copper thickness (μm) | 15-25 | 23-50 | ＞50 | ||
| HDI via copper thickness (μm) | 12-15 | ＞15 | |||
| Base copper thickness — inner/outer layer copper weight (oz) | 0.5-1 | 1.5 | 2 (sheet lists a further condition: flex base Cu > 2 OZ) | Outer layer finished Cu thickness increases by 0.5 OZ over base Cu. | |
| Solder mask | Solder mask opening (mil) | 2/4 | 1.5 | ＜1.5 | |
| Solder mask dam (mil) | 4 (IC pitch 8) | 3-4 (IC pitch 7-8) | <3 (IC pitch <7) | ||
| Solder mask colour — BQ / Terada ink codes | BQ RS-2000 11GL Green, RS-2000 BLM Blue, RS-2000Y Yellow, RS-2000R Red, RS-2000 1GL Light Green, RS-2000 5GLM Matt Green, RS-2000BK Black, RS-2000 BL Matt Blue, RS-2000 BKM Matt Black; Terada DSR-18GYF Fluorescent Green | Custom per project | |||
| Solder mask colour — Taiyo ink codes | Taiyo PSR-4000G23K Green, PSR-2000KX700G Green, PSR-2000LF03HF Halogen-Free Green, PSR-4000WT03 White, PSR-4000SN10 Green, PSR-9000FLX501 Flex-Specific | In the source sheet these codes continue the same standard-capability colour range as the row above; they are split out only because the sheet wraps them onto a second line. | |||
| Solder mask plugging — distance from hole to SMD pad | Double-sided SMD pad with plugged via | ||||
| Solder mask plugging — plugged hole diameter | 0.20mm≤Dia.≤0.40mm | 0.4mm＜Dia.≤0.60mm | Custom per project | Component holes <0.4mm: custom per project. | |
| Solder mask plugging — plugged board thickness | 0.40mm≤Thickness≤2.4mm | >2.4mm | Custom per project | ||
| Legend | Etched legend, Cu 18 μm — line width / character height | 6MIL/40MIL | 5MIL/30MIL | 4MIL/20MIL | |
| Etched legend, Cu 35 μm — line width / character height | 8MIL/40MIL | 6MIL/30MIL | 4MIL/20MIL | ||
| Etched legend, Cu 75 μm — line width / character height | 12MIL/50MIL | 8MIL/40MIL | 6MIL/30MIL | ||
| Etched legend, Cu 105 μm — line width / character height | 16MIL/50MIL | 12MIL/40MIL | 8MIL/30MIL | ||
| Silkscreen legend — line width / line-width-to-height ratio | 4 mil/1:6 | ＜5/1:6 | |||
| Solder mask legend — line width / line-width-to-height ratio | 10MIL/35MIL | 8MIL/30MIL | 6MIL/20MIL | ||
| Legend colour | White, yellow, black, red, blue, purple, orange, gray | Custom per project | |||
| Outline & profiling | Max. board thickness — double-sided | 2MM | 2.5MM | >3.0MM | |
| Max. board thickness — multilayer | 2MM | 2.5MM | >3.0MM | ||
| Board thickness — double-sided (rigid-flex) | ≥0.8mm | 0.4mm | ＜0.4mm | ||
| Board thickness — 4L | ≥0.60mm | 0.40mm | ＜0.40mm | ||
| Board thickness — 6L | ≥1.00mm | 0.80mm | ＜0.80mm | ||
| Board thickness — 8L | ≥1.20mm | 1.00mm | ＜1.00mm | ||
| Board thickness — 10L | ≥1.40mm | 1.20mm | ＜1.20mm | ||
| Board thickness — 12L | ≥1.70mm | 1.50mm | ＜1.50mm | ||
| Board thickness — 14L | ≥2.00mm | 1.80mm | ＜1.80mm | ||
| Rigid board thickness (T) tolerance (mm), T≤1.0 | ±0.10 | ±0.08 | Tighter tolerances: custom per project. | ||
| Rigid board thickness (T) tolerance (mm), 1.0＜T≤1.6 | ±0.13 | ±0.1 | |||
| Rigid board thickness (T) tolerance (mm), 1.6＜T≤2.5 | ±0.18 | ±8% | |||
| Rigid board thickness (T) tolerance (mm), 2.5＜T≤3.2 | ±0.23 | ±8% | |||
| Rigid board thickness (T) tolerance (mm), T≥3.2 | ±10% | ±8% | |||
| Max. finished board size, single/double-sided | 250×600mm | 480×1200mm | 480×1200mm | ||
| Max. finished board size, multilayer | 250×600mm | 250×1200mm | 250×1200mm | ||
| Min. flex length | ≥10mm | ≥5mm | ≥2mm (sheet lists a further, tighter <1.5mm) | ||
| Min. finished board size | ≥20mm | 10mm ≤ size ＜ 20mm | ＜10mm | ||
| Gold finger beveling — bevel angle | 20°30°45°60° | ＜20°OR ＞60° | |||
| Gold finger beveling — bevel angle tolerance | ＞±5° | ±5° | ＜±5° | ||
| Gold finger beveling — bevel depth tolerance | Tolerance≥0.15mm | 0.15mm＜Tolerance≤0.1mm | Tolerance＜0.10mm | ||
| Outline tolerance | Tolerance≥±0.15mm | ±0.10mm≤Tolerance＜±0.15mm | Sheet leaves the high-difficulty tier blank and lists only a further, tighter Tolerance <±0.10mm or multiple outline tolerance controls | ||
| V-CUT — angle | 30、45、60 | Custom per project | |||
| V-CUT — max. number of V-CUT lines | ≤20 lines | ≤30 lines | ≤40 lines | Outsource if >20 lines. | |
| V-CUT — board width | 80MM<Width<610MM | 60MM<Width<80MM | Width<60MM | Consider auto V-CUT if manual not feasible. | |
| V-CUT — board thickness | 0.6MM≦Thk.≦2.4MM | 0.5MM≦Thk. ＜0.6MM | Thk.<0.5MM OR Thk.>2.4MM | ||
| V-CUT residual thickness | >0.4MM | 0.25mm＜Residual<0.40MM | <0.25MM | ||
| V-CUT — type | Standard V-CUT | Skip V-CUT | Custom per project | Consider CNC V-CUT if spacing <4mm (skip V-CUT not possible). | |
| Auto V-CUT — angle | 20、30 | Custom per project | Consider manual V-CUT if auto not feasible. | ||
| Auto V-CUT — panel dimension | 110*110MM<Panel Size<610*610MM | Panel Size<110*110MM OR Panel Size＞610*610MM | |||
| Auto V-CUT — board thickness | 0.4MM≦Thk.≦3.2MM | 3.2MM≦Thk.≦4.0MM | Thk.<0.4MM OR Thk.>4.0MM | ||
| Auto V-CUT residual thickness | >0.4MM | 0.25mm＜Residual<0.40MM | <0.25MM | ||
| Others & acceptance standard | Panel dimension — min. panel size | ≥100*120mm | ＜100*120mm | If finished thickness <0.4mm, panel ≤14 inches. HASL max. dimension ≤24 inches. | |
| Panel dimension — max. panel size | ≤12*19.6 inch | 14*19.6 inch | Custom per project | ||
| Impedance tolerance | ±10%，±5Ω for ≤50Ω | ＜±10%，<±5Ω for ≤50Ω | |||
| Bow and twist tolerance | Bow/Twist≥0.7% | 0.7%≤Bow/Twist≤0.5% | Bow/Twist＜0.5% | Asymmetric structure bow/twist tolerance is 2.0%. | |
| HASL capability — component hole diameter | Diameter＞0.5mm | 0.4mm≤Diameter≤0.5mm | Custom per project | ||
| HASL capability — board thickness | 0.5mm≤Thk.≤3.5mm | 0.4mm≤Thk.＜0.5mm | Custom per project | ||
| HASL capability — min. conductor spacing (solder on trace) | ≥12mil | 10mil≤Spacing＜12mil | ＜10mil | ||
| Acceptance standard — IPC standard (IPC-6013, rigid-flex) | IPC Class 2 | IPC Class 3 | Custom per project | IPC-6013 is the rigid-flex acceptance standard, distinct from IPC-6012 used for rigid boards. The sheet also cites GJB 7548-2012 (Flexible PCB General Specification) and notes that some visual standards may not be met. | |
| Acceptance standard — reference file | Manufacturing Instruction Specification | The sheet states this as a reference file, not as a tiered capability value. |
Related pages
Rigid-flex PCB product page
How the stack-up works, designing the rigid-to-flex transition, typical applications and reference images.
Flex PCB capabilities
The parameter window for all-flex (FPC) boards, without rigid areas.
Manufacturing Tolerance
General manufacturing tolerances for holes, outline, trace width and mask registration.