Transparent FPC (Transparent Flexible Printed Circuit Board)

~Starting the demonstration of high-reliability FPC through space environment testing~ Taiyo Techno Rex Co., Ltd. has recently signed a business outsourcing contract with Jinsei Co., Ltd. regarding the space environment testing of our space-use FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) cables. Our FPC will be mounted on the engineering model of the small satellite "Cubesat" developed by Jinsei, and various tests simulating the space environment will be conducted. This testing is an important initiative aimed at confirming and demonstrating functionality in future orbital operations. In outer space, resistance to extremely harsh conditions such as extreme temperature changes, radiation, and intense vibrations is required. We view this initiative not only as limited to space applications but also as an opportunity to demonstrate FPC technology that exhibits high reliability even under extreme conditions. Moving forward, we will continue to develop and provide high-reliability FPCs with an eye toward expanding into a wide range of fields, including aerospace, industrial equipment, automotive devices, and various inspection equipment, where high quality and reliability are essential.

We have newly launched an "Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS)" that provides a comprehensive response from material procurement, circuit design, manufacturing, and assembly to functional testing and shipping in the traditional FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Board) manufacturing process. In recent years, the use of FPCs has expanded across various fields such as medical devices and industrial equipment, leading to an increased demand not only for supply but also for a one-stop solution that encompasses circuit design, module manufacturing, and even final product assembly. To meet these market demands, we have strengthened our collaboration with electronics manufacturing companies and established a manufacturing system that covers everything from material procurement to assembly. With this service, customers can reduce interactions with multiple vendors, achieve shorter lead times, and improve manufacturing efficiency. Our stringent quality control system ensures the delivery of highly reliable products. The product areas we can support include automotive devices, medical devices, industrial equipment, robotics, communication devices, lighting equipment, and home appliances, allowing us to meet a wide range of manufacturing needs.

Our company has further improved the technology for forming high-density wiring in our core business of electronic substrates, specifically in flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs). In recent years, electronic devices such as medical equipment and industrial machinery have been advancing in miniaturization and lightweight design. To incorporate many functions into limited space, there is a demand for increased wiring density on the substrate. Therefore, we have been working on establishing filled via technology and improving the M-SAP method. The filled via structure involves filling vias (holes) made by laser in the insulating layer with copper plating, ensuring electrical connections on both sides of the substrate while reducing the recesses of the vias, which allows for component mounting on the vias and leads to high-density mounting. On the other hand, the M-SAP method significantly improves line width management by laminating copper to form circuits, enabling high-density wiring. This time, based on the pattern via fill method that leverages these characteristics, we successfully formed wiring with a pitch of 30μm on a double-sided substrate with a filled via structure. We will continue to aim for further improvements in high-density wiring formation technology through ongoing development, prototyping, and verification.

Our company has decided to participate in the "Space Town Development Promotion Project (Kii Space HUB)," which aims to create new industries and revitalize the region with a space theme, promoted by Wakayama Prefecture, in our core business of electronic substrate. Taking this opportunity, we will actively advance our technological development and business enhancement in the space field. The Space Town Development Promotion Project is a project aimed at the accumulation of the space industry, human resource development, and regional revitalization in Wakayama Prefecture, where the private rocket launch site "Spaceport Kii" is located, and it has garnered national attention. We aim to contribute to the lightweight and high functionality of space equipment by leveraging the manufacturing technologies of flexible printed circuit boards and electroforming that we have cultivated so far. In the future, we will actively engage in human resource development for those involved in the space business, starting with the provision of technology for satellite-mounted equipment and communication modules. We will also consider collaboration with private space companies, promoting value creation and business development in this new field of the space industry, while striving to balance technological innovation and social contribution, and continuing our challenges toward realizing a sustainable future.