Creating a Flat Cable

You can connect flat cables to board assemblies, which is important for the modelization of rigid flexible boards.

Using the Flex algorithm, realistic torsion of the flat cable can be taken into account and the board representation is closer to reality.

Before you begin:
  • Open two board assemblies.
  • Insert a branch geometry under the electrical geometry, and UI activate the electrical branch geometry in Circuit Board Design.
See Also
About Branch and Segment Properties
Adding a Segment Connection Point to a Board Assembly
  1. From the Rigid Flex section of the action bar, click Create Flat Cable .
    The Branch Properties panel appears.
  2. On the first board, do the following:
    1. Select the lateral face where you want the flat cable to be connected to.

      Important: You cannot select the top or bottom face of the board.

      A segment connection point is automatically created.
    2. Select the new segment connection point.

    Tip: You can also select a segment connection point previously created.

    The following symbol appears on the connection point.
  3. On the second board, do the following:
    1. Select the lateral face where you want the flat cable to be connected to.

      Important: You cannot select the top or bottom face of the board.

      A second segment connection point is automatically created.
    2. Select the new segment connection point.

    Tip: You can also select a segment connection point previously created.

    The following symbol appears on the connection point, and the board assemblies are connected by a flat cable.
  4. In the Branch Properties panel, edit the properties of the flat cable.
  5. To edit a flat cable, double-click a segment connection point.
    The Robot is automatically snapped to it and the Immersive Branch Definition context toolbar appears.

    The following commands are available:

    • Manual Routing Mode : adds new route elements manually before or after a segment connection point using directional arrows and the Robot.
    • Replace routing mode : replaces a passing point in the branch route.
    • Remove from route: removes a passing point from the branch route.
    • Set/Unset as Imposed Point : sets or unsets a passing point as imposed in a flat cable route.
    • Tangency Mode : adds or edits a tangential direction at the selected segment connection point.
    • Flip Profile : rotates by 180 degrees the flat cable profile at device ends.
    • Move Connector Position : moves the segment connection point on its Y axis according to rigid flexible parameters.
    • Align Connector : automatically computes the right position of a connector to avoid a twisted shape.
      Important:
      • When using this command, boards have to be parallel or orthogonal.
      • The command does not check if the width of the flat cable is compatible with the width of the board face.

  6. Click in the 3D area to validate.
    The flat cable is created.