PCB Blog - How to distinguish between FFC and FPC connectors

FPC connectors are flexible printed circuits, while FFC connectors are flexible flat cable connectors.

FFC connectors and FPC are often confused in the connector world. Although both are flexible cable connectors, there are certain differences between FFC connectors and FPC connectors. 

FFC connector is a flexible flat cable connector, while FPC is a flexible printed circuit. In terms of manufacturing, their wiring methods are different.

FPC is a flexible circuit board made of FCCL (flexible copper foil) with different single-sided, double-sided, and multi-layer structures after chemical etching processing. 

FFC has two layers of insulating foil sandwiched between flat copper foils, making the finished product simpler and thicker. Strictly speaking, 

FFC is much cheaper, and when considering production costs, I prefer to use designs related to FFC.

The difference between FFC and FPC connectors

FFC and FPC are both forms of flexible circuit boards, which differ in appearance, material, performance, and cost.

1. Structure: FFC (Flat Flexible Cable) is a flat flexible cable, usually composed of metal foil and insulation layer, connected to the circuit through conductive adhesive and conductive adhesive. 

It is lightweight, flexible, resistant to bending, and has fast transmission speed. FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) is a flexible circuit board made of polyimide film, 

and its circuit pattern is formed on the surface of the polyimide film through etching technology, which has good flexibility and foldability.

2. Insertion and removal method: FFC usually uses socket connectors to connect to the circuit board, 

while FPC usually uses socket or flat cable clamp connectors to connect to the circuit board.

3. Flexibility: Due to different production processes, FPC can customize connection methods of any shape, but FFC can only be made into regular shapes.

4. Temperature resistance range: The working temperature range of FFC and FPC is usually between -40 ℃ and+105 ℃, 

but there are also some special requirements that can achieve a wider temperature range.

5. Applicable fields: FFC is mainly used in scenarios that require high-density connections and high-speed transmission, such as LCD panels, camera modules, etc. 

FPC is mainly used in scenarios that require bending and folding, such as mobile devices, automotive electronics, medical devices, etc.

FPC connectors and FFC connectors play important roles in electronic device connections, and the key points for selecting these two types of connectors are different. 

Choosing a suitable connector requires consideration of factors such as conditions, appearance and shape, electrical performance, and more. 

For the requirements of good signal transmission performance, reliability, and durability, choosing FFC connectors is more suitable. 

Reasonable selection of connectors will directly affect the performance and reliability of electronic devices.