Page 2
Current Modeling software, file name current3.exe:
Solving for low current and/or fine line applications,
given 2 of the three parameters to find the third current, conductor width, temperature
rise.
After the introduction screens,
- Select dimensional mode; Metric or English.
- Select the "low current/fine line model".
- Select "calculate values".
- Select which parameter you wish to solve; conductor size, temperature rise, current.
- If the conductor size option is selected:
- type in the amount of current in Amperes, i.e. 300mA is entered as 0.300A.
- type in the allowed temperature rise, above ambient, in Fahrenheit.
- The results are given in cross sectional area and trace widths on 1oz and 1/2oz copper;
the units are mils2 and mils respectively. If the copper is not 1oz or 1/2oz,
copper trace width=(cross-sectional-area)/(copper thickness (mils)).
- If the temperature rise option is selected:
- type in the amount of current in Amperes, i.e. 300mA is entered as 0.300A.
- type in the cross sectional copper area; area=(conductor width(mils) x copper thickness
(mils)). i.e. 5mil conductor on 1oz copper 0.005x0.0014=0.000007;
this is sq. mils so enter it as 7.
- The results are given in Fahrenheit degrees rise above ambient.
- If the current option is selected:
- type in the amount of allowed temperature rise in Fahrenheit degrees.
- type in the cross sectional copper area; area=(conductor width(mils) x copper thickness
(mils)). i.e. 5mil conductor on 1oz copper 0.005x0.0014=0.000007;
this is sq. mils so enter it as 7.
- The results are given in Amperes.
Page 3
Current Modeling software, file name current3.exe:
Solving for high current and/or large line applications,
given 2 of the three parameters to find the third: current, conductor width, temperature
rise.
After the introduction screens,
- select dimensional mode; Metric or English.
- Select the "high current/wide line model".
- Select "calculate values".
- Select which parameter you wish to solve; conductor size, temperature rise, current.
- If the conductor size option is selected:
- type in the amount of current in Amperes, i.e. 300mA is entered as 0.300A.
- type in the allowed temperature rise, above ambient, in Fahrenheit.
- The results are given in cross sectional area and trace width on 1oz and 1/2oz copper;
the units are mils2 and mils respectively. If the copper is not 1oz or 1/2oz,
copper trace width=(cross-sectional-area)/(copper thickness (mils)).
- If the temperature rise option is selected:
- type in the amount of current in Amperes, i.e. 300mA is entered as 0.300A.
- type in the cross sectional copper area; area=(conductor width(mils) x copper
thickness(mils)). i.e. 5mil conductor on 1oz copper 0.005x0.0014=0.000007;
this is sq. mils so enter it as 7.
- The results are given in Fahrenheit degrees rise above ambient.
- If the current option is selected:
- type in the amount of allowed temperature rise in Fahrenheit degrees.
- type in the cross sectional copper area; area=(conductor width(mils) x copper thickness
(mils)). i.e. 5mil conductor on 1oz copper 0.005x0.0014=0.000007;
this is sq. mils so enter it as 7.
- The results are given in Amperes.
Page 4
Current Modeling software, file name current3.exe:
Solving for resistance, voltage drop, conductor size, and current capability.
After the introduction screens,
- select dimensional mode; Metric or English.
- Select the "conductor sizing calculator".
- Select which parameter you wish to solve; conductor size, resistance, voltage drop,
current.
- If the conductor size option is selected:
- Enter conductor thickness as copper weight (oz/ft2). Enter 1 for 1oz copper,
0.5
is 1/2oz copper. For converting a known copper thickness to oz/ft2 divide the
thickness by 0.0014. i.e. 0.00035" thick is 0.0004/0.0014=0.25 oz/ft2 .
- type in the resistance of the trace in milliohms/ft.
- The results are given as conductor width in inches and cross sectional area in inches
squared. If the temperature rise option is selected:
- If the resistance option is selected:
- type in the amount of current in Amperes, i.e. 300mA is entered as 0.300A.
- enter the allowable voltage drop in units of volts/ft.
- the result is given in milliohm/ft.
- If the voltage drop option is selected:
- type in the amount of current in Amperes, i.e. 300mA is entered as 0.300A.
- type in the resistance of the trace in milliohms/ft.
- the result is given in volts/ft.
- If the current option is selected:
- Enter voltage drop in units of volts/ft.
- Enter the resistance of the trace in milliohm/ft.
- The result is given in Amperes.
Page 5
Current Modeling software, file name current3.exe:
Plot relationships of current, conductor cross sectional area and temperature rise.
After the introduction screens,
- select dimensional mode; Metric or English.
- Select the "low current/fine line model" or select "high current/large
line model" for the appropriate type.
- Select "plot relationships"
- Follow the prompts for printing or clipboard copying.
Current modeling for plated through holes.
Current modeling for plated through holes can use the same menus as mentioned above with
the only difference being the calculation for the cross sectional area. To find the cross
sectional area for a plated through hole use the following formula:
Area=p *(r2-(r-t)2)
Where p =3.14159
r=drilled radius of the through hole.
t=plated thickness of the through hole.
Page 6
Thermal/Mechanical modeling software, file name flex5a.exe:
Solving for stress/strain on various layers of flex circuit construction.
After the introduction screens,
- select "input new layer data"
- Enter the data as a cross section of the flex construction. Enter the
layers from the compression side of the bend radius, which will be considered the bottom
of the material stack up.
- Enter the total number of layers in the flex construction and hit enter,
then enter the width of the flex circuit, in inches, and hit enter.
- For each layer you must enter the material number from the material list
and hit enter and then type in the thickness, in mils and hit enter.
- When entering the data for the copper, if one layer is a solid copper
plane then enter the copper width as the width of the flex with a minimal space.
- Select "choose analysis type".
- Select "mechanical analysis".
- Select "input bend radius".
- At the prompt "circuit length deflected in inches", enter the
suggested maximum if the bend radius is actually 180° ; if the bending action is actually only 90° then input ½ of the maximum suggested deflected circuit length.
- The results of the mechanical analysis will follow.
- As a rule of thumb, if the desire flex cycle is very high, several
million, then the preferred maximum tensile strain on the critical copper layer should not
exceed 0.20%. If the flex life desired is approximately 100,000 cycles or less, then the
preferred maximum tensile strain on the critical copper layer is 0.80% or less.
Chart and graphs of stress/strain.
- After following the above sequence for determining the stress/strain
relationships for the particular flex circuit construction and environment then:
- Select display stress/strain
- Select which type of chart you desire, select "Dist." for
distribution chart or "Graph" for the stress/strain graph. Both the distribution
and graph show the flex with the compression side of the bend on the top of the screen;
this is opposite from the orientation of the stack up as it was entered.
Page 7
Thermal/Mechanical modeling software, file name flex5a.exe:
Heat flow and Thermal profile for flex circuit construction.
- You can not go immediately to the "analysis type" menu without
entering the "input new layer data" menu first; this will cause an error in the
software.
- After the introduction screens, select "input new layer data".
- Enter the data as a cross section of the flex construction. Enter the
layers from the compression side of the bend radius, which will be considered the bottom
of the material stack up.
- Enter the total number of layers in the flex construction and hit enter,
then enter the width of the flex circuit, in inches, and hit enter.
- For each layer you must enter the material number from the material list
and hit enter and then type in the thickness, in mils and hit enter.
- When entering the data for the copper, if one layer is a solid copper
plane then enter the copper width as the width of the flex with a minimal space.
- Select "choose analysis type".
- Select "heat flow analysis".
- Select "input boundary conditions".
- Select which condition to solve for; "heat flow, input temp, output
temp".
- Enter the temperature information as requested, in degrees C.
- Hit any key after the results are given.
For a Thermal profile, distribution chart or graph:
- After following the above guidelines for heat transfer then:
- Select "thermal profile" option.
- Select either "Dist." For distribution chart or
"Graph" for a thermal graph.
Page 8
Thermal/Mechanical modeling software, file name flex5a.exe:
Thermal/Hygroscopic expansion analysis
- You can not go immediately to the "analysis type" menu without
entering the "input new layer data" menu first; this will cause an error in the
software.
- After the introduction screens, select "input new layer data".
- Enter the data as a cross section of the flex construction. Enter the
layers from the compression side of the bend radius, which will be considered the bottom
of the material stack up.
- Enter the total number of layers in the flex construction and hit enter,
then enter the width of the flex circuit, in inches, and hit enter.
- For each layer you must enter the material number from the material list
and hit enter and then type in the thickness, in mils and hit enter.
- When entering the data for the copper, if one layer is a solid copper
plane then enter the copper width as the width of the flex with a minimal space.
Select "Thermal/Hygroscopic expansion".
Select "input boundary conditions".
Enter the temperature information as requested, in degrees C and humidity
in %RH.
Enter the original length of the circuit (inches) in the area of concern.
Hit any key after the results are given.
Plated through hole expansion analysis
- You can not go immediately to the "analysis type" menu without
entering the "input new layer data" menu first; this will cause an error in the
software.
- After the introduction screens, select "input new layer data".
- Enter the data as a cross section of the flex construction. Enter the
layers from the compression side of the bend radius, which will be considered the bottom
of the material stack up.
- Enter the total number of layers in the flex construction and hit enter,
then enter the width of the flex circuit, in inches, and hit enter.
- For each layer you must enter the material number from the material list
and hit enter and then type in the thickness, in mils and hit enter.
- When entering the data for the copper, if one layer is a solid copper
plane then enter the copper width as the width of the flex with a minimal space.
- Select the "PTH expansion" option.
- Select "input boundary conditions".
- Enter plated through hole pad diameter (mils) and the PTH drilled hole
diameter (mils).
- Enter the plated copper thickness (mils) in the plate through barrel.
- Enter the temperature (C° ) and the humidity
(%RH).
- Hit any key after the results are given.
Page 9
Thermal/Mechanical modeling software, file name flex5a.exe:
Calculate coverfilm adhesive thickness.
note: for a more accurate and detailed coverfilm adhesive thickness analysis, please refer
to pages 10,.
- After the introduction screens, select "calculate coverfilm
adhesive".
- Enter conductor width (mils) and conductor spacing (mils).
- Enter the copper thickness (mils).
- Enter the nominal adhesive thickness (mils).
- The results states the amount of adhesive thickness (mils) between the
top copper edge and the kapton edge of the coverfilm.
Page 10
Coverfilm adhesive thickness modeling software, file name
coversel.exe:
Solving actual coverfilm adhesive thickness between the top of the trace
and the kapton surface edge.
- After the introduction screens select either "trace-coverfilm
dist.".
- Enter the conductor space (mils) and trace (mils).
- Enter the copper thickness (mils).
- Enter nominal coverfilm adhesive thickness (mils).
- Enter the coverfilm conformance (%).
- The results are shown and you may now follow the option to print out the
results or an option to display a graphical representation of the coverfilm adhesive
thickness over the copper.
Solving for recommendations of adhesive thickness for
coverfilm.
- After the introduction screens select either "coverfilm adhesive
thk.".
- Enter the conductor space (mils) and trace (mils).
- Enter the copper thickness (mils).
- Enter the distance (mils) from the top of the trace to the coverfilm
kapton edge.
- Enter the coverfilm conformance (%).
- The results are shown and you may now follow the option to print out the
results or an option to display a graphical representation of the coverfilm adhesive
thickness over the copper.
Page 11
Diagnostic software, file name diagnose.exe:
Using the diagnostic software.
After the introduction screens select to train the diagnostic
software or not.
- If you choose not to train the diagnostic software then select
"ok" at the file select menu.
- After which just follow the prompts.
- If you choose to train the diagnostic software:
- If you have never trained the software previously, then select
"yes" at the prompt to train the software
- Follow the prompts and answer the questions accordingly.
- At the end of this session, you will be asked to save the diagnostic.
This is how you train the diagnostic software. To train the software, reply with
"yes" to save.
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