source of flex cable

I also forgot to mention that the way it is broken it makes using conductive paint unfeasible.

I looked at this thing again and it has 27 pins with 2 pins per mm.

I recently had to fix a portable dvd player which ahd intermittent laser supply. traced to a duff flex cable between pickup and pcb.My local parts supplier said NLA. So will have to try elsewhere. I suppose I'm luckier as i may be able to source one from a scrap cd- rom drive or similar. maybe you could look at this option.... good luck. b.

That's not much help to non-americans. 'Gauge' i.e. AWG is a US only measure. The rest of the world uses mm.

Can you measure the pitch properly ?

Graham

That's no 'ribbon cable' I suspect. Do you mean a flexible pcb construction

Graham

I later measuered it and it appears to have 2 pins per mm and 27 pins.

Yes I meant flexible pcb.

Can you specify the model number of your Casio? That might spark a light for someone that might have a non-working unit in their parts box.

Cheers, Lawrence

If it's one of the flexiprints where the tracks terminate as 'fingers' which then insert into a connector, and it's gone near the end, just at one of the reinforcing strips, you can often remake the end by removing the reinforcing strip, and cutting the flexiprint back to just beyond the fracture, with a sharp scalpel. The plastic coating over the tracks can then be fairly easily removed using a blunt curved scalpel blade, to expose a new set of 'fingers'. This 'new' end can then be inserted into the connector, and the reinforcing strip slipped back in behind it.

They are made by Multicomp or Pro Power

and over here, Farnell keep them. You can cut down ones that are too wide with a sharp scalpel, so I guess you could use a 35 way. You could try

and have a look at their US site. Part number for a 35 way 0.5mm pitch here, is 1455407

Arfa

Right !

That's VERY different. I'd think seriously about whether you need to do this. These flexible PCBs are custom made in every case. Your only option AFAICS is to replace it entirely with many very fine wires. Hey, or even just patch the problem conductors.

Graham

You are a lifesaver Arfa! You always help me when I've got a problem. What happened is it is partially broken in the middle where it flexes. One of the hinges is broken and thats why the flex broke. Is flexprint the correct name for this type of cable? I wonder if mouser or digi-key stocks these.

Mike

This belongs to my friend from Japan. She bought it in Japan years ago. I couldn't find the model number until now... It is a XD-R8100.

Conversion charts are readily available, it should be easy to work with either system.

AWG is a pain in the ass. Metric sizes can be directly used in calculations without the use of any 'tables'.

Graham

Can't you salvage a cable from an old flatbed scanner or printer and cut it down? No idea if the pins match but as suggested by another poster, if it's very small try an old dvd or cd drive for a cable and trim to suit. I found it's possible to shorten a cable and scrape the plastic off to expose the contacts again, expose a bit longer and then trim to size.

Cheetah

Why's it a pain in the ass? A given AWG has a direct metric equivalent, I have no problem with either system. I prefer metric for everything, but I guess I just don't see the difficulty. All it takes is memorizing a handful of numbers, it's easier than the resistor color code.

An inaccurate equivalent.

There is no NEED for ANY code when using metric measures. Would you like to have to look up values for voltage, current, resitance, inductance and capacitance in tables or charts too ?

Graham

Nope. Readily available in our neck of the woods from Farnell, Graham.

Arfa

I'd suggest revisiting the 30 gauge wirewrap wire solution. That's got to be easier than soldering 50 connections that are less than

1 mm apart!

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