Repairing flexible pcb connector track?

I wouldn't hesitate to do this, but I'd not attempt it whatsoever without a microscope. Can you borrow one?

Unfortunately I don't have anything other than strong magnifying glasses and I cannot think of anyone or anywhere I could borrow one from.

In the past I have tried soldering etc whilst looking through a magnifying glass but have struggled because of only really looking through one eye so really stereo magnification is what I need.

Ian

"Ian P" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

Do you have a video camera that can do closeups? Can you work while watching what you are doing via a monitor?

If you have a piece of similar cable that you can glue along side the cut one, you might be able to use straight pins to pierce both conductors simultaneously and then turn the pins into 'rivets' permanently connecting the broken conductors through the 'bridging' conductor. Stagger the 'rivets' so they don't short to each other.

You may be able to get some very thin diameter straight pins such as used for mounting butterflies or from a hobby store, used as nails, etc on small models. Perhaps even with a copper coating, so that you could touch them with a bit of solder to 'make things permanent'.

Try it first on some pieces of similar flex from the trash/junk box.

Stagger the pins to give more room to work. Good luck!

HD

If you're very lucky, there are redundant traces and you can jumper to them from the nonworking conductors at the connectors (on the non-flexing boards). Otherwise, contact Sony for a new part (or subassembly).

After mulling over all the good guidance and advice I recieved in response to my original posting I decided which method to use and this evening have successfully repaired the cut tracks.

I went for the soldered wire jumpers over the breaks, straightforward under normal circumstances but in this case on a small scale. I bridged four adjacent tracks using wire 0,05mm (2 thou) diameter taken from super flexible test lead wire. The tracks were were between 0.1 and 0.15mm wide and the whole repaired area ended up 0.9mm wide and 4mm long.

With the right equipment, microscope etc I can now see that a repair of this sort could be done fairly easily, I managed with a strong magnifyng glass that I fixed in place so I had both hands free. After I fixed the first jumper I improved my technique and was able to work one handed by using a longer length of jumper held taught exactly in line with the track by bits of masking tape at either end. Because of its length its really easy to position the jumper, I also put a little bit of packing under the ribbon so that it formed a raised surface to keep the wire in contact with the previously tinned tracks.

I still have to test the repair but mechanically all the joints are sound and separated from each other so I'm happy.

Many thanks to all that responded.

Ian

Great news! Even if it not work first time, sounds like you find a good technique to repeat.

Grant.

Congratulations! Or should I say "Congratos!"?

Get yourself a 25x stereo magnifying visor. It's a good investment.