Automotive Flexible Printed Circuits

Lower mass leads to decreased power needs, resulting in a smaller carbon footprint.

Automotive manufacturers are prioritising weight reduction across alternative power vehicles, including EVs, HEVs, and BEVs. Amphenol Trackwise’s Improved Harness Technology™ (IHT) assists them with this prioritisation by offering significant weight-saving opportunities and smart harness capabilities for the automotive sector.

IHT’s flexible printed circuits (FPCs) are particularly well-suited for alternative power vehicles and their battery packs. These FPCs can be used for both high-voltage power circuits and control circuits, offering a lighter solution that occupies less space compared to conventional wire harnesses.

Key benefits of IHT for automotive applications include:

1. Weight reduction: A 10% decrease in vehicle weight can improve fuel economy by 6-8% in conventional vehicles.
2. Space savings: FPCs take up less room than traditional wire harnesses.
3. Increased reliability: FPCs reduce the risk of human error in assembly compared to hand-built wire harnesses.
4. Smart harness capability: Potential for integrating control electronics directly onto the harness.

While Amphenol Trackwise is collaborating with leading vehicle OEMs on numerous projects, many of these initiatives are confidential due to their sensitive nature.

Why Flex Printed Circuits are perfect for EVs?

The wiring harness in a car accounts for 2% and 5% of the total vehicle weight, with this percentage even higher in electric vehicles (EVs) due to the extensive wiring required for drivetrains, batteries, sensors, and advanced systems. This makes lightweight Flexible Printed Circuits (FPCs) a crucial innovation for rmodern EV design offering many advantages such as reducing weight, saving space, and boosting efficiency in modern automotive designs.

Flex PCBs are especially effective for alternative powered vehicles. The cuboid shapes and flat surfaces of EV battery modules make them ideal for flex applications. These FPCs can handle both high-voltage power (up to 6oz or 210μm copper, nickel, or nickel-plated copper) and control circuits with precision and reliability.

Trackwise is working with a number of manufacturers on a variety of different methodologies. If you would like to find out more, please get in contact.