We make flexible flat cables (FFC) and flexible printed circuits (FPC) for laptops, printers, smartphones, cameras, automotive displays, and wearables. Most of our customers are OEMs and contract manufacturers in the US, Europe, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Standard FFC with pitch 0.5mm, 1.0mm, or 1.25mm ships fast from our Shenzhen facility. Custom FPC with stiffeners, EMI shielding, or multilayer construction takes a bit longer — usually 15–20 days from approved Gerber files. MOQ starts at 500 pieces for FFC, 100 pieces for FPC. Send your drawing or Gerber and we’ll quote within 24 hours.
FFC vs FPC — What’s the Difference?
People mix up these terms all the time. Here’s the short version: FFC is a ribbon-style cable with flat parallel conductors sandwiched between two layers of insulation. It’s cheap, fast to make, and great for short connections inside compact electronics. FPC is a flexible circuit board — etched copper traces on polyimide film, with the ability to route complex patterns, bend around corners, and carry components.
If your need is “get a signal from point A to point B in a laptop hinge,” FFC is probably enough. If you need “route 40 signals around three corners in a camera module with an embedded sensor,” you want FPC. Both are different from the rounded cable assembly or multi-branch wire harness we also make. We build all three under one roof.
Products We Manufacture
Our FFC and FPC service splits into two main product lines. Click through for technical details on each:
- Standard FFC Cable — flat flexible ribbon cable with pitch from 0.5mm to 2.54mm. Type A or Type B contacts, any length up to 1,200mm. Good for laptop keyboards, printer heads, scanner beds, and low-cost consumer electronics.
- Custom FPC Assembly — flexible printed circuits with single-sided, double-sided, or multilayer construction. Rigid-flex options available. Used in smartphones, wearables, camera modules, medical probes, and automotive displays.
Beyond these two main categories, we also handle FFC-to-FPC hybrid assemblies, FFC with ZIF or LIF connectors pre-attached, and FPC with SMT component placement if your design calls for it.
FFC and FPC Specifications We Support
Here’s what our flexible cable manufacturing line can produce:
| Parameter | Range |
|---|---|
| Pitch (FFC) | 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.8mm, 1.0mm, 1.25mm, 2.0mm, 2.54mm |
| Conductor Count (FFC) | 4 to 80 pins |
| Cable Length (FFC) | 30mm to 1,200mm |
| Conductor Type | Rolled annealed copper (standard) or tin-plated copper |
| Base Film (FPC) | Polyimide (PI) 25μm, 50μm, or 75μm |
| FPC Layer Count | 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 layers (rigid-flex on request) |
| FPC Line Width/Spacing | Down to 50μm/50μm |
| Stiffener Options | FR4, polyimide, steel, aluminum |
| Surface Finish | ENIG, immersion tin, OSP, gold plating |
| Operating Temp | -40°C to +105°C (standard), higher with special materials |
| Bend Life | 10,000 to 200,000 cycles depending on construction |
| Compliance | RoHS, REACH, UL, halogen-free on request |
| MOQ | 500 pieces (FFC), 100 pieces (FPC) |
Need something outside these ranges? Send the drawing or Gerber and we’ll tell you what’s feasible.
Typical Applications
FFC and FPC show up in six main product categories. Here’s where our production actually goes:
Laptop and notebook computers. Screen hinges, keyboard-to-motherboard connections, trackpad cables. Mostly 0.5mm pitch FFC with 30–60 pins. Our biggest single segment by volume.
Consumer electronics. Smart speakers, action cameras, game controllers, VR headsets, e-readers. Smaller form factors need tight-pitch FFC or compact FPC with stiffeners for connector mating. Each device type has seperate design constraints and we adjust the spec based on how the finished product will be handled.
Printer and imaging equipment. Printhead cables, scanner bed flex, fax module wiring. These see repeated flex cycles, so rolled annealed copper and reinforced fold areas matter.
Camera modules and smartphones. FPC is standard here. Dual-lens, triple-lens, and folded-optics camera modules all use custom FPC with stiffeners at connector pads. Very tight tolerances.
Automotive displays. Dashboard LCD, head-up display, infotainment touch panels. These need wider temperature tolerance (-40°C to +105°C) and sometimes AEC-Q200 compliance for the cable itself.
Wearables and medical devices. Smartwatches, fitness trackers, hearing aids, patient monitors. These need ultra-thin FPC with bend life over 100,000 cycles, and often halogen-free materials.
Why OEM Buyers Choose SZFRS for FFC and FPC
The FFC and FPC market in Shenzhen is crowded. There are dozens of factories you could call. Here’s what keeps our clients coming back:
Fast quoting on unusual specs. Most factories push back on non-standard pitches or mixed conductor counts. We’ve built a library of over 400 FFC configurations, which means quirky specs usually don’t need new tooling.
In-house FPC design review. If you send us Gerber files with a routing mistake, we tell you before we quote. For clients new to FPC, we help spec stiffener placement, cover lay exposure, and bend radius to avoid failures in the field.
Mixed-volume production. Some of our clients need 100 pieces for a prototype run and 10,000 pieces six months later. We can do both without switching vendors.
ZIF/LIF connector pre-assembly. Many of our customers want FFC shipped with connectors already attached — 1.0mm ZIF, 0.5mm LIF, and other common combinations. Saves a production step on your side. See our manufacturing capabilities page for the connector library.
Full RoHS and REACH documentation. Required for EU, preferred in North America. We maintain test reports on file and can provide per-order compliance documentation.
Our FFC and FPC Manufacturing Process
FFC and FPC production follow different workflows. Here’s how each moves through our factory:
FFC Production (7 Steps)
- Copper selection. Rolled annealed copper for flex applications, tin-plated copper for cost-sensitive work.
- Laminate preparation. PET base film bonded to copper foil under heat and pressure.
- Slitting. Conductors separated to the required pitch using precision rotary cutters.
- Die cutting. Cable shape, contact exposure, and alignment holes cut to drawing.
- Tinning or gold plating. Contact pads finished based on mating connector requirements.
- Testing. 100% continuity and insulation resistance test on every cable.
- Packaging. ESD-safe trays or reel packaging for pick-and-place lines.
FPC Production (9 Steps)
- Gerber file review. DFM check, stackup verification, impedance calculation if needed.
- Copper-clad laminate prep. Polyimide film bonded with adhesive to copper foil.
- Photolithography. Circuit pattern etched using UV exposure and chemical etchant.
- Drilling and via formation. Laser drilling for fine vias, mechanical drilling for through-holes.
- Cover lay application. Protective polyimide layer laminated over circuit traces.
- Surface finishing. ENIG, immersion tin, OSP, or gold plating on exposed pads.
- Stiffener bonding. FR4, polyimide, or steel backing attached where connectors mate.
- Electrical and AOI testing. Flying probe test on 100% of boards, optical inspection for defects.
- Die cutting and packaging. Final shape cut, panels separated, packaged in ESD bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between FFC and FPC?
FFC is a ribbon cable — flat parallel conductors between two insulation layers. It’s cheap, fast to make, and good for simple point-to-point connections. FPC is a flexible circuit board with etched copper traces on polyimide film, able to carry complex routing, multiple layers, and surface-mount components. FFC is for wiring; FPC is for circuits.
What’s your MOQ for FFC and FPC?
500 pieces for standard FFC. 100 pieces for FPC. Prototypes from 10 to 50 pieces are available with an NRE fee. For long-running programs, blanket orders can go lower on per-release quantity.
Can you pre-attach ZIF or LIF connectors to the FFC?
Yes. We stock common 0.5mm, 1.0mm, and 1.25mm ZIF connectors from Molex, Hirose, and JST. Other pitches can be ordered. Pre-attached FFC saves assembly time on your side and reduces handling damage.
What file formats do you accept for FPC designs?
Gerber (RS-274X) is standard. We also accept ODB++, IPC-2581, and native Altium or Cadence files. For FFC, a mechanical drawing in PDF or DWG with pin count, pitch, length, and contact type is enough to quote.
Do you offer rigid-flex PCB?
Yes, for 4-layer and 6-layer rigid-flex constructions. More complex 8+ layer rigid-flex we currently partner on with a specialized facility, so lead time is longer. Tell us your stackup and we’ll give you a realistic timeline.
What bend life can your FPC achieve?
Standard construction handles 10,000 to 20,000 bend cycles. Dynamic-flex designs with rolled annealed copper and careful cover lay placement reach 100,000 to 200,000 cycles. Send us your use case — static fold, dynamic hinge, or continuous flex — and we’ll match the construction.
Do you provide IPC-6013 compliance?
Yes. Our FPC production follows IPC-6013 Class 2 by default, Class 3 on request. Documentation available for automotive and medical programs. See our quality and certifications page for full details.
Can you ship internationally?
Yes — EU, US, India, Southeast Asia, Middle East. DDP, DAP, or EXW depending on your preference. Flexible cables ship well in small volumes by air courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS) and large volumes by ocean freight. We handle export documentation including RoHS, REACH, and origin certificates.
Related Products and Services
FFC and FPC projects often ship alongside other components we make. Clients regularly bundle flexible circuit orders with cable assemblies or wire harnesses for the same end product:
- Cable Assembly — LVDS, eDP, micro-coaxial, MIPI, and RF cable assemblies for signal applications.
- Wire Harness — multi-branch wiring for automotive, battery, industrial, and consumer electronics.
- Custom Manufacturing — overmolding, box build, and turnkey electromechanical assembly.
- OEM and ODM Services — private label and contract manufacturing for brand owners.
Ready to Start Your FFC or FPC Project?
Send us your drawing, Gerber files, or a sample you want replicated. We’ll come back with a quote and realistic timeline within 24 hours. If you’re new to flexible circuits and need design help, our engineers will walk through your requirements with you first.