Flexible printed circuits are found in everything from automobiles, portable phones, and SLR cameras to sophisticated military and avionics systems. Something as common as a notebook computer or tablet wouldn’t be possible without flexible printed circuit technology that allows hundreds of tiny components to be electronically connected in a three dimensional array.

By far, the specification criteria that a Polyimide film must meet are the most stringent in the flexible printed circuits industry. APICAL^® Polyimide exceeds this criterion because the product was specifically designed for this exceptionally demanding application. As a result, all those who use APICAL^® Polyimide share the benefits of a precision product made with leading edge technology. APICAL^® Polyimide is certified to IPC Specification 4202/1.

Beginning with the manufacturing process, the superior properties of APICAL^® Polyimide make it the best choice as a substrate for flexible printed circuitry. APICAL^® Polyimide is made in a clean room environment and is 100% optically inspected for pinhole and inclusion defects.

APICAL’s^® 400ºF heat resistance allows for easy wave or hand soldering. Its overall chemical resistance and alkaline etchability help it to be chemically milled, yet still endure the rigors of FPC processing. The physical toughness of APICAL^® Polyimide allows it to be flexed reliably and repeatedly for millions of cycles.

In addition, APICAL^® Polyimide NP developed especially for the FPC industry, gives circuit designers the flexibility to match the polyimide film’s coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) closely to the CTE of copper to prevent circuit curling during temperature cycling.

APICAL^® Polyimide produced in our Texas plant delivers properties no other polyimide film can match – superior web flatness, more uniform across-the-web properties, more uniform thickness control, and superior dimensional stability — which all come from the most advanced and precise processing equipment in the world.