Elephantech Innovates Cost- and Eco-efficient SustainaCircuitsTM FPC Lineup to Include Cu-foil Thickness Less Than 1 μm and Over 100 μm, Now in Mass Production

Advancing Sustainable Circuit Board Technology

Since 2020, Elephantech has leveraged its inkjet printing expertise to mass produce SustainaCircuits™, which reduces copper usage by 70-80% compared to conventional methods. Building on its current offerings of FPCs with copper foil's thicknesses between 3~12µm, Elephantech is proactively advancing technological frontiers to effectively address the diverse and evolving market demands.
The recent expansion in copper foil thickness customization is driven by breakthrough innovations in materials and processes.

Material Innovations: New Primer for Superior Adhesion and Precision

With its newly developed primer in place, Elephantech continues delivering outstanding inkjet printing precision while setting a new benckmark in adhesion strength.

This advancement supports 12.5µm polyimide substrates in addition to the current 25µm ones, contributing to a reduced overall thickness of FPC. These products are already available for development use.

Process Optimization : Thick Copper Layers for High-Current Applications

For thick copper-foil FPCs, Elephantech has adapted its proprietary electroplating technology, which also works seamlessly with rigid multilayer circuit boards. With this newly available thickness, the additive manufacturing approach that SustainaCircuits™ uses, depositing copper only where needed, will generate greater cost advantages in reducing copper waster, compared to the subtractive approach, which removes excess copper through etching.

Beyond handling FPCs with standard copper-foil thickness of 18µm and 35µm, which have a large market circulation, Elephantech can now flexibly accommodate thicker copper level exceeding 35µm, meeting a wide range of custom thickness requirements. The company is currently mass-producing FPCs with copper-foils up to 100µm thick and has development capabilities reaching up to the 200µm level.

Meeting Industry Needs in Power Electronics and High-Current Applications

Thick copper-foil FPC technology is particularly beneficial for the power electronics fields such as automotive, industrial equipment, battery applications and harness replacements, where high current is essential. The ability to significantly reduce environmental impact and costs has already led to demand for replacing conventional double-sided FPCs, with several projects in progress.

For inquiries regarding thin and thick copper-foil FPCs, please contact the FPC Manufacturing Business sales team. Through continuous innovatoins, Elephantech strives to contribute to a sustainable, carbon-neutral society.