Have you ever wanted to try using a flexible PCB in your project but just haven’t gotten around to it?

Well this is your chance! Want free flexible circuit boards?

You don't have to build something to win. Show us what you want to design.

You can present your design on Fritzing
You can draw a block diagram on paper
You can design a full schematic/PCB

Digi-Key has partnered with Hackaday to provide the opportunity for 60 contest winners to receive 3 flexible circuits of their design! We will have 60 flexible designs (within 2 square inches or 13 square centimeters), manufactured with help from @oshpark and shipped directly to the winners!

If your project is larger, we'll cover the first 2 square inches plus shipping, and you can cover any additional costs.

Flexible PCBs can have useful applications: their thinness and flexibility allow them to fit in places where rigid PCBs and wires might not work, and can reduce the overall weight of a project.

The only thing we ask is that your PCB design pass Design Rule Check (DRC) testing. Beyond that there are no limits - flex PCBs can be used in wearables, costumes, toys, flip-phone attachments, things with sensors, and so much more.

Some useful resources: OSHpark Flex PCB FAQ, Brian Benchoff's Creating a PCB In Everything guide. The following examples are included for inspiration, but may not meet this contest's requirements: Crawling PCB Bot, Flashy Business Cards, Flexible Battery Meter & Flexible PCB Speakers.

Awards

60 contest winners will receive an OSHPark code to receive 3 complimentary boards from OSHPark shipped to them. Please allow 8 weeks after the close of this contest.
3 Tindie gift certificates of $100 each will be awarded for:
- Best Project
- Best Social Media Picture or Video
  - You can post a picture or video of your device, of you working on your device, or anything related on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or any other social platform. You must post a link to the video in the comments on this page.
- Best Documentation

How to Enter

Show pictures of your creation and tell the story of how you designed and built it by documenting it as a new project on Hackaday.io. Once you have published your project, look in the left sidebar for the "Submit project to..." menu in order to enter it in the Flexible Circuit Contest:

Requirements

Project must have a PCB that has passed Design Rule Check (DRC) testing or a drawing that shows a circuit idea. Once designed, the PCB is sent to OSHpark, our trusted PCB manufacturer.

Judging Criteria

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That said, here are some criteria judges will have in mind while reviewing entries:

Creativity: Is the concept of your project interesting and unique?
Functionality: Is your circuit functional? Does it work?
Backstory: How well has the story been shared about how this was conceived and built?

Flexible Circuit Contest Rules:

Contest runs 7AM PST on Wednesday, March 6th, 2019 through 7AM PDT Wednesday, May 29, 2019 (here is a countdown timer).
Sharing schematics, source code, and/or design files is highly encouraged (but not required). These will be considered during judging and are a big part of "backstory" and helping us understand your flexible circuit entry.
Existing projects, or projects that were entered in previous Hackaday contests but did not win a prize are eligible for submission as entries in this challenge with the following restrictions:

A new project page must be created
The project must be significantly different from when previously entered. Show what makes it unique for this contest.

Winners will receive a coupon that will cover the cost of a PCB up to 2 square inches (13 square centimeters) in size. If your design is larger you can still use this coupon and choose to pay the portion of the cost beyond that size.
All entries will be judged by Hackaday staff.
The Flexible Circuit contest is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, Canada (excluding Quebec), the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Japan, India, South Africa, and wherever else the Contest is not prohibited or restricted by law. The Contest is not open to residents of Quebec, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, or any jurisdiction where the Contest would be restricted or prohibited by law. Participants must be at least 18 years of age (or the local age of majority where they live, if higher) at the time of registration, except that minors age 13 or older may participate by obtaining the consent of a parent or legal guardian as described below, as long as such participation is not prohibited or restricted by law where the minor lives.
Hackaday Staff, Employees of Supplyframe, Judges or the family of any of the preceding are not eligible to take part in this contest. Everyone is still encouraged to build awesome stuff and show it off.

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