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Flexible PCB Concept Contest

Flex your circuit's power!

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 07:00 am PST - Wednesday, May 29, 2019 07:00 am PDT Local time zone:
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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.

Sponsored by:

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...
Read more »

View contest log

908
936
14
This project aims to create a GPS antenna array with integrated amplifiers and RF switch on a flexible PCB for optimal GPS reception.
Project Owner Contributor

Flexible GPS Antenna Array for Model Rockets

eric-simsEric Sims

14
15
Same like my 2D actuator but now only in one dimension
Project Owner Contributor

FLEXIBLE linear actuator

bobriciusbobricius

948
10
14
Big, Bright, Mobile LED Screen
Project Owner Contributor

The World's First Mobile Rollable Digital Display

phillip-funkhouserphillip-funkhouser

1.4k
16
17
A simple battery cell tester built on a flexible PCB substrate, that connects to cells using magnets
Project Owner Contributor

Floppy Tester

danie-conradieDanie Conradie

All Submissions

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Discussions

Lloyd Konneker wrote 06/28/2019 at 12:54 • point

The best project winner doesn't even describe the flexible PCB or why it needs to be flexible.  IMO, judging fail.

  Are you sure? yes | no

ssuraj15599 wrote 06/12/2019 at 05:29 • point

the word seems to to be like flexible solar panel and transparent so that it maintains a flexibe with the thin weight and size 

  Are you sure? yes | no

Sophi Kravitz wrote 06/11/2019 at 14:21 • point

We will be announcing the winners sometime next week. After June 17th.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Orlando Hoilett wrote 06/11/2019 at 14:22 • point

Cool! Thanks for all the fun contests.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Orlando Hoilett wrote 06/02/2019 at 05:53 • point

When will the winners be announced?

  Are you sure? yes | no

Chris Miller wrote 06/10/2019 at 18:12 • point

Crickets...

  Are you sure? yes | no

Orlando Hoilett wrote 06/10/2019 at 19:42 • point

lol

  Are you sure? yes | no

Orlando Hoilett wrote 06/10/2019 at 19:42 • point

They're probably busy deciding on the winner.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Sophi Kravitz wrote 06/11/2019 at 14:21 • point

responded above

  Are you sure? yes | no

PointyOintment wrote 06/01/2019 at 01:02 • point

As I expected, I missed the deadline, even though I knew when it was and could have entered a week ago. I guess I was too lazy to get out of having to do work to earn money to pay for my own flex PCBs. Oh well. My project is proceeding as before, i.e., extremely slowly, though I did just order some of the parts to test. I should really post it soon (as I've been thinking for months). It's a blue and UV light dosimeter that clamps onto your eyebrows.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jordan wrote 05/29/2019 at 06:39 • point

so I got bored last night and created this waveguide to microstrip transition to use with the flex PCBs, was just polishing it up this morning https://twitter.com/moddedLimes/status/1133453412291497985

  Are you sure? yes | no

Eric Sims wrote 05/31/2019 at 09:26 • point

Hey looks nice! I'm happy to see another RF board. Especially since the Er of polyimide is like 3.2. I was hoping for more RF entries.

  Are you sure? yes | no

[skaarj] wrote 05/10/2019 at 20:33 • point

I can't honor your invitation. They will charge me an arm and a leg in customs for 3 pcs. 90 sq inch pcbs.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Billy-Bogardus wrote 04/01/2019 at 02:43 • point

Do projects need to be completed before submitting? I started a project but haven't designed the boards yet.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Richard Hogben wrote 04/01/2019 at 02:49 • point

No, you can submit anytime up until the deadline.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Billy-Bogardus wrote 04/01/2019 at 02:54 • point

Thanks Richard.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Sophi Kravitz wrote 03/24/2019 at 14:37 • point

Hi @PointyOintment  It says Digi-Key has partnered with Hackaday. What do you see there?

  Are you sure? yes | no

PointyOintment wrote 03/24/2019 at 14:51 • point

Copied and pasted:

"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! 

has partnered with Hackaday…"

  Are you sure? yes | no

PointyOintment wrote 03/24/2019 at 14:54 • point

I see it like that in Firefox 60 and Chrome 73, but it displays properly in IE 11.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Sophi Kravitz wrote 03/25/2019 at 05:49 • point

Huh. I don't see that, I see Digi-Key, but it's a link. Do you have links blocked or an ad blocker? (It's not an ad, just a link). 

  Are you sure? yes | no

Clara Hobbs wrote 03/25/2019 at 22:25 • point

Missing for me too.  I see it in the page source, so I guess it must be an overzealous add-on hiding the click-tracker link.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Richard Hogben wrote 03/25/2019 at 23:41 • point

The link url has click tracking, it's ad blocking removing it.

  Are you sure? yes | no

PointyOintment wrote 03/24/2019 at 14:17 • point

In the details I see "has partnered with Hackaday" as the start of a sentence. Is there supposed to be a name there, or is there a company now whose name is the empty string?

  Are you sure? yes | no

Sophi Kravitz wrote 03/07/2019 at 12:53 • point

We will cover the cost of up to 2 sq inches! Any additional flexible circuit is $15 USD (per square inch, and you get 3 copies) from @oshpark .

  Are you sure? yes | no

Chris Miller wrote 03/16/2019 at 17:24 • point

Is the area determined by the board outline, or smallest bounding box?  For example, a 1x1 center section, with two 1 x 0.5 wings on opposite sides.  Outline area is 2, but bounding box is 3.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Sophi Kravitz wrote 03/16/2019 at 23:14 • point

Hi Chris, the area is determined by the board outline. What do you mean by bounding box?

  Are you sure? yes | no

Chris Miller wrote 03/17/2019 at 00:30 • point

Bounding box is the smallest rectangle that your outline would fit into.  If your shape isn't a rectangle, the area of the bounding box is larger than the area of your outline.  Imagine a U shape, or an L shape who's bounding box is larger than 2 sq inches, but the area of the letter shape is less.  2 inches is darn small.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Chris Miller wrote 03/18/2019 at 17:45 • point

If anyone else is wondering, it looks like it is by bounding box, based on the OSHPark website.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jan wrote 03/06/2019 at 21:14 • point

Nice contest idea! As ikozar56 already mentioned, the timer counts up, not down. And I thought: "oh, June 3rd is still a long way to go for a contest start"... Please user international format or just write March, 6th or something :)

  Are you sure? yes | no

Sophi Kravitz wrote 03/06/2019 at 21:46 • point

fixed

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jan wrote 03/07/2019 at 08:11 • point

Thank you :) I especially meant the contests logo (https://hackaday.io/project/163267/gallery#a35845c97cca9d2d258b9e40980a861d)

On another note: I see a DigiKey logo... Do they sponsor parts for the contest?

On another-nother note: The above contest picture mentions 60 winners get their design by OSHPark. The rules state only the first 2 square inches though...

  Are you sure? yes | no

ikozar56 wrote 03/06/2019 at 20:58 • point

Hi! I've been waiting for this contest for so long! Can't wait to see great projects and apply myself. However, this bothers me:
"Winners will receive a coupon that will cover the cost of a PCB up to 2 square inches (13 square centimeters) in size."
This is a very little area. Hope you'll multiply it by some factor. 
Also, countdown timer counts up for some reason. 
*excited*

  Are you sure? yes | no

oshpark wrote 03/06/2019 at 20:43 • point

We are very excited to see what people will create with flex!

  Are you sure? yes | no

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