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Doc 10 · The Flex Circuits — Wiring That Is Manufactured, Not Cut

Engineered Lighting prototype series · September 2026

PCB build shopping checklist →

The checklist includes the two user-applied mounting adhesives, mating plugs and wires needed alongside these manufactured flexes.

The main board in Doc 9 now consolidates six radial LED sockets into one locking interface. Everything its connectors reach — six ambient zones around a cylinder, three spotlight pairs, two motors — has so far been wire, cut and stripped and soldered by hand, one conductor at a time. These three flexible circuits replace most of that with something a factory makes to a drawing.

The latest main board groups all three spotlight pairs in J9, beside J13 tilt. Ordinary wires connect those plugs to the unchanged static arm ribbon; J12 pan terminates separately. The wire loop across the pan joint must accommodate 180 degrees in each direction. This is not a dynamic-flex qualification. The six spotlight conductors remain separate, including their three LED-minus returns.

They are passive: copper, insulating film and solder pads. No components, no connectors fitted, no firmware. That is the point. A flex circuit is a wiring harness that can be checked before it is built, and reproduced identically the next time.

CircuitDesignSizeCopper layersPads / contactsWhat it does
Arm ribbongimbal-static-v0.2152.4 × 9.2 mm170Carries motor power, the CAN pair and three spotlight pairs along the arm. Static: it does not flex in service, and ordinary wires cross the moving joints.
Upper cylinder bandled-upper-v0.3325.0 × 42.9 mm2126Connects main J2 directly through a 30-contact insertion tail to six separately fused zones; 96 lands solder to strip ends.
Lower cylinder bandled-lower-v0.2325.0 × 7.9 mm296The mirrored lower band, feeding the same six zones from the other side.

Status as of 8 September 2026 — submitted for quotation, not built

All three designs pass native electrical-rule and design-rule checks, schematic parity, an independent pin-and-topology oracle, and a comparison of the exported manufacturing data against the native design. Those results are in the table under what has been checked.

Submitted to JLCPCB for engineering quotation; no payment or production release. All three now also have separate PCBWay inquiries. The submitted special requirements preserve the specified 1 oz copper; the website copper, upper-tail support and contact-finish placeholders require engineering correction. The request is two of each circuit, six passive circuits in total, for two fixture prototypes. The manufacturer has not accepted the stack-up, coverlay, stiffeners or tolerances, and there has been no physical qualification of any kind: no fit coupon, no solder sample, no bend or motion testing.

The central-interface main and upper flex v0.3 originally changed together. The later grouped-arm and branding changes affect only the main board; all three flex files remain byte-identical. One continuing fit risk affects whether these can be ordered at all, and it has its own section: the alignment hold.

Words this chapter uses — open this if any of them are new
Word What it means here
Flex circuit A printed circuit on a thin plastic film instead of rigid fibreglass, so it can bend or wrap.
Polyimide (PI) The plastic film these are built on. Tough, heat-resistant, and the reason a flex can be soldered at all.
Coverlay The insulating film bonded over the copper, doing the job a solder mask does on a rigid board. Its artwork describes the openings, not the covering.
Adhesiveless core A film with the copper bonded directly to it, without a glue layer. Thinner and better behaved when bent.
Stiffener A local patch of extra material bonded where the circuit must not flex — under a soldered joint, for example.
ENIG Electroless nickel, immersion gold: a flat, solderable, non-tarnishing finish.
Rail One conductor carrying one thing. Here: +24V, and the three white channels W, N and C.
Developed length The length a wrapped band must be cut to so that it fits once curved. Longer than the cylinder's diameter suggests, and sensitive to what it wraps over.
Neutral radius The radius at which the circuit neither stretches nor compresses as it bends. It sets the developed length.
Bare circuit What is being quoted: the circuit alone, with nothing soldered to it.

The three circuits

Choose a circuit, then turn layers on and off. Hovering or tapping a pad shows what it carries; clicking or tapping pins that summary so you can jump to its row in the connection table.

The flex viewer needs JavaScript. Without it, the construction drawings below show each circuit, and every pad is listed in the connection tables.

What this view shows — and what it does not

These are the circuits' own manufacturing layers, rendered from the exported artwork: the copper, the coverlay openings and the printed legend. The colours are view colours chosen for contrast, not the colours of the finished part, which is specified as ENIG copper under yellow coverlay with a black legend.

The small round markers are pad locations from each circuit's connection table, not the exact pad outlines — the real shapes are in the copper and coverlay layers underneath them. On the two cylinder bands, F.Mask and B.Mask are coverlay openings on a flex circuit, not solder-mask instructions for a rigid board.

The arm ribbon has one physical copper layer. Its KiCad file shows an empty back-copper layer; that is an editor artefact and must never be ordered as a second layer.

How the wiring is arranged

The arm ribbon

Ten conductors run the length of the arm in parallel lanes: motor +24V and GND on the two widest, then the CAN_H / CAN_L pair, then three spotlight pairs. Seven termination banks are spaced along it — the input J1 plus six more — and the ribbon is cut at the marked line for whichever length the arm needs. Cut lengths of 25.4, 50.8, 76.2, 101.6, 127.0 and 152.4 mm are all verified.

It is static. It does not flex while the fixture moves; ordinary wires with service loops cross the moving joints, exactly as Doc 1's rule requires. No repeated-motion qualification is claimed, because none is needed and none has been done.

The two cylinder bands

Each band wraps the cylinder and feeds six ambient zones, four rails each. The flat zone order is Z4, Z5, Z6, Z1, Z2, Z3, which puts the seam between Z3 and Z4 and the input tab between Z6 and Z1 — away from the common connection area, so one tab can feed three zones in each direction. All four rails are parallel-load interconnects. They are never a series string, and the six fused feeds from the main board stay separate the whole way.

Where a band meets an LED strip, the copper finger overlaps the strip's own end pad by a nominal 1 mm, with a 0.3 mm plated hole through the joint for solder access and anchoring. That hole is not a connector socket.

The tail is the plug

Upper v0.3 (0af25f8f) replaces the v0.2 wire-solder tab. The gold fingers on the back face slide directly into main J2; they are not pads for soldering wires. The rigid main remains inside the cylinder while the flexible band wraps around it. Keep the tail long enough to reach and bend gently: the overall upper board height is 42.9 mm, including 35 mm above the band's upper edge. Do not crease the stiffened insertion section or shorten it based on the old solder-pad picture.

The connector uses thirty 1 mm-pitch contacts, grouped in zone order 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, with +,+,W,N,C in each group. The front stiffener is opposite the back gold contacts. The required 0.30 ±0.05 mm is the total insertion thickness, including copper, film, plating, adhesive and support. Finger gold requires at least 0.10 µm over nickel; ordinary 2 microinch ENIG is not the same specification. Exact tip exposure, coverlay and stack need supplier review. These are fabrication requirements, not measured dimensions.

The 96 strip-end lands and retained band routes did not change. Some outer strip lands still look isolated when only the upper flex is viewed: the intended path continues through matching rails inside the real strip, into a lower-band bridge and up the next strip. The independent installed-CAM model reaches all 192 strip ends on the correct 24 rails only if those real through-rails exist. Check them unpowered; net labels alone cannot prove the assembled path.

An isolated current-tail/contact screen predicts a worst loop drop of 0.1044 V under assumed 85 °C copper, 30 µm copper thickness, reduced conductor widths and the stated connector resistance. It excludes the rest of the LED circuit and does not predict heating. The 0.60 A positive / 0.20 A channel cases are stress screens, not continuous operating ratings. Initial commissioning remains at most 0.50 A RMS per radial zone with local fuse air at most 85 °C, subject to measured loads and PWM duty limits. Actual temperatures and currents are unknown.

The alignment hold — still a fabrication gate

Print the template and dry-fit before anything is fabricated

The bands are positioned against a modelled cylinder: a neutral radius of 51.975 mm and a developed length of 324.97 mm, giving a 13.607 mm pitch across 24 strips. Underneath them sits 1.1 mm double-sided adhesive whose datasheet allows a typical ±10 % thickness tolerance.

That tolerance alone moves the far-end pad alignment by up to 0.346 mm over half a turn, against a nominal lateral copper margin of 0.30 mm each side — before any fabrication or assembly error is added. The measured strip is also 0.7 mm thick without a specified copper neutral radius or facet shape, so the real mounted curve is not established.

Use the current upper template-1-to-1.svg from the downloads at actual size and check its scale. The retained A3 PDF is historical v0.2: its upper-tail drawing is obsolete and cannot qualify the new insertion fit. Its unchanged lower/arm portions remain reference material. Dry-fit every pad position on the actual compressed stack. If the alignment misses, measure that stack and regenerate the geometry — do not stretch the circuit, and do not approve fabrication. This is a known sensitivity, not a passed physical test.

What the copper loses

The full-path table below is historical, calculated with upper v0.2 (a5acd2a0), not the new insertion tail. The lower and arm geometry has not changed. Keep these earlier sensitivity results for their reasoning; do not use their full-loop totals to qualify the current assembly. They include assumed strip through-rails and joints, exclude the controller and external cabling, and are not measurements.

Sensitivity caseWorst LED strip supply lossGimbal motor loopEach spotlight pairAssumed copper temperatureAssumed copper
Historical upper v0.2: nominal model0.342 V0.094 V0.091 V20 °C35 µm
Historical upper v0.2: hot/thin screening0.583 V0.137 V0.133 V85 °C30 µm
Historical upper v0.2: high-resistance joints sensitivity0.903 V0.137 V0.133 V85 °C30 µm

The project's wiring budget is 3 % of 24 V, which is 0.72 V for the whole path — not just for these circuits. The historical nominal case was inside it; the historical high-resistance-joint sensitivity was not, which is the point of including it. A bad solder joint is a repair, not a tolerance to design around: measure the loaded voltage and fix the joint.

Temperatures in that table are inputs, not predictions. Copper loss and actual bonded temperature have to be checked during the first powered tests.

Building and installing them

The engineering notes linked below summarize the current construction and open checks. The steps that most affect whether this works:

  • Check the cut segment unpowered first. Matching +24V / W / N / C labels must conduct end to end, and no component may encroach on the joint.
  • The outside view is authoritative when wrapping. The lower band's artwork already points its fingers upward; do not mirror it to match the upper band.
  • Make a supported sample joint before committing. Pre-tin lightly, support the finger, and check both interfaces wet without bridging.
  • Foam goes on band backs only, stopping 0.7 mm short of the finger roots, and never under a strip body. Form gently: no crease, and no repeated bend at a via, a solder land or a stiffener edge.
  • Before power, compare the delivered netlist and check every pair for isolation. After the strips are connected, expect 24 isolated zone rails. Use a low-voltage continuity test, not a high-voltage insulation tester, across populated LEDs. Confirm no rail reaches the aluminium.
  • Power one zone at a time, then measure full-load voltage drop, current and temperature.

Every pad, and what it carries

Each row is one strip/ribbon solder pad or one of the thirty J100 insertion contacts. Selecting a pad in the viewer marks its row here; the summary's button scrolls to it.

Arm ribbon 70 pads
ReferencePinCarriesRolePosition (mm)
J61V24_MOTOR2144.60, 20.95
J62GND144.60, 22.35
J63CAN_H144.60, 23.40
J64CAN_L144.60, 24.10
J65SPOT1_LED_PLUS144.60, 24.82
J66SPOT1_LED_MINUS144.60, 25.57
J67SPOT2_LED_PLUS144.60, 26.32
J68SPOT2_LED_MINUS144.60, 27.07
J69SPOT3_LED_PLUS144.60, 27.82
J610SPOT3_LED_MINUS144.60, 28.57
J31V24_MOTOR268.40, 20.95
J32GND68.40, 22.35
J33CAN_H68.40, 23.40
J34CAN_L68.40, 24.10
J35SPOT1_LED_PLUS68.40, 24.82
J36SPOT1_LED_MINUS68.40, 25.57
J37SPOT2_LED_PLUS68.40, 26.32
J38SPOT2_LED_MINUS68.40, 27.07
J39SPOT3_LED_PLUS68.40, 27.82
J310SPOT3_LED_MINUS68.40, 28.57
J21V24_MOTOR243.00, 20.95
J22GND43.00, 22.35
J23CAN_H43.00, 23.40
J24CAN_L43.00, 24.10
J25SPOT1_LED_PLUS43.00, 24.82
J26SPOT1_LED_MINUS43.00, 25.57
J27SPOT2_LED_PLUS43.00, 26.32
J28SPOT2_LED_MINUS43.00, 27.07
J29SPOT3_LED_PLUS43.00, 27.82
J210SPOT3_LED_MINUS43.00, 28.57
J41V24_MOTOR293.80, 20.95
J42GND93.80, 22.35
J43CAN_H93.80, 23.40
J44CAN_L93.80, 24.10
J45SPOT1_LED_PLUS93.80, 24.82
J46SPOT1_LED_MINUS93.80, 25.57
J47SPOT2_LED_PLUS93.80, 26.32
J48SPOT2_LED_MINUS93.80, 27.07
J49SPOT3_LED_PLUS93.80, 27.82
J410SPOT3_LED_MINUS93.80, 28.57
J51V24_MOTOR2119.20, 20.95
J52GND119.20, 22.35
J53CAN_H119.20, 23.40
J54CAN_L119.20, 24.10
J55SPOT1_LED_PLUS119.20, 24.82
J56SPOT1_LED_MINUS119.20, 25.57
J57SPOT2_LED_PLUS119.20, 26.32
J58SPOT2_LED_MINUS119.20, 27.07
J59SPOT3_LED_PLUS119.20, 27.82
J510SPOT3_LED_MINUS119.20, 28.57
J71V24_MOTOR2170.00, 20.95
J72GND170.00, 22.35
J73CAN_H170.00, 23.40
J74CAN_L170.00, 24.10
J75SPOT1_LED_PLUS170.00, 24.82
J76SPOT1_LED_MINUS170.00, 25.57
J77SPOT2_LED_PLUS170.00, 26.32
J78SPOT2_LED_MINUS170.00, 27.07
J79SPOT3_LED_PLUS170.00, 27.82
J710SPOT3_LED_MINUS170.00, 28.57
J11V24_MOTOR223.00, 20.95
J12GND23.00, 22.35
J13CAN_H23.00, 23.40
J14CAN_L23.00, 24.10
J15SPOT1_LED_PLUS23.00, 24.82
J16SPOT1_LED_MINUS23.00, 25.57
J17SPOT2_LED_PLUS23.00, 26.32
J18SPOT2_LED_MINUS23.00, 27.07
J19SPOT3_LED_PLUS23.00, 27.82
J110SPOT3_LED_MINUS23.00, 28.57
Upper cylinder band 126 pads
ReferencePinCarriesRolePosition (mm)
J431Z4_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap48.39, 47.20
J432Z4_T23_Wstrip solder overlap50.42, 47.20
J433Z4_T23_Nstrip solder overlap56.01, 47.20
J434Z4_T23_Cstrip solder overlap58.04, 47.20
J641ZONE6_24Vstrip solder overlap170.85, 47.20
J642ZONE6_Wstrip solder overlap172.89, 47.20
J643ZONE6_Nstrip solder overlap178.48, 47.20
J644ZONE6_Cstrip solder overlap180.51, 47.20
J411unconnected-(J41-Pin_1-Pad1)strip solder overlap21.18, 47.20
J412unconnected-(J41-Pin_2-Pad2)strip solder overlap23.21, 47.20
J413unconnected-(J41-Pin_3-Pad3)strip solder overlap28.80, 47.20
J414unconnected-(J41-Pin_4-Pad4)strip solder overlap30.83, 47.20
J121Z1_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap198.07, 47.20
J122Z1_T23_Wstrip solder overlap200.10, 47.20
J123Z1_T23_Nstrip solder overlap205.69, 47.20
J124Z1_T23_Cstrip solder overlap207.72, 47.20
J141unconnected-(J14-Pin_1-Pad1)strip solder overlap225.28, 47.20
J142unconnected-(J14-Pin_2-Pad2)strip solder overlap227.31, 47.20
J143unconnected-(J14-Pin_3-Pad3)strip solder overlap232.90, 47.20
J144unconnected-(J14-Pin_4-Pad4)strip solder overlap234.94, 47.20
J211ZONE2_24Vstrip solder overlap238.89, 47.20
J212ZONE2_Wstrip solder overlap240.92, 47.20
J213ZONE2_Nstrip solder overlap246.51, 47.20
J214ZONE2_Cstrip solder overlap248.54, 47.20
J511unconnected-(J51-Pin_1-Pad1)strip solder overlap75.61, 47.20
J512unconnected-(J51-Pin_2-Pad2)strip solder overlap77.64, 47.20
J513unconnected-(J51-Pin_3-Pad3)strip solder overlap83.23, 47.20
J514unconnected-(J51-Pin_4-Pad4)strip solder overlap85.26, 47.20
J521Z5_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap89.21, 47.20
J522Z5_T23_Wstrip solder overlap91.24, 47.20
J523Z5_T23_Nstrip solder overlap96.83, 47.20
J524Z5_T23_Cstrip solder overlap98.87, 47.20
J111ZONE1_24Vstrip solder overlap184.46, 47.20
J112ZONE1_Wstrip solder overlap186.49, 47.20
J113ZONE1_Nstrip solder overlap192.08, 47.20
J114ZONE1_Cstrip solder overlap194.11, 47.20
J541ZONE5_24Vstrip solder overlap116.43, 47.20
J542ZONE5_Wstrip solder overlap118.46, 47.20
J543ZONE5_Nstrip solder overlap124.05, 47.20
J544ZONE5_Cstrip solder overlap126.08, 47.20
J421Z4_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap34.78, 47.20
J422Z4_T23_Wstrip solder overlap36.82, 47.20
J423Z4_T23_Nstrip solder overlap42.40, 47.20
J424Z4_T23_Cstrip solder overlap44.44, 47.20
J1001ZONE4_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder167.98, 6.75
J1002ZONE4_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder168.98, 6.75
J1003ZONE4_WB-side insertion contact; no solder169.98, 6.75
J1004ZONE4_NB-side insertion contact; no solder170.98, 6.75
J1005ZONE4_CB-side insertion contact; no solder171.98, 6.75
J1006ZONE5_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder172.98, 6.75
J1007ZONE5_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder173.98, 6.75
J1008ZONE5_WB-side insertion contact; no solder174.98, 6.75
J1009ZONE5_NB-side insertion contact; no solder175.98, 6.75
J10010ZONE5_CB-side insertion contact; no solder176.98, 6.75
J10011ZONE6_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder177.98, 6.75
J10012ZONE6_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder178.98, 6.75
J10013ZONE6_WB-side insertion contact; no solder179.98, 6.75
J10014ZONE6_NB-side insertion contact; no solder180.98, 6.75
J10015ZONE6_CB-side insertion contact; no solder181.98, 6.75
J10016ZONE1_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder182.98, 6.75
J10017ZONE1_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder183.98, 6.75
J10018ZONE1_WB-side insertion contact; no solder184.98, 6.75
J10019ZONE1_NB-side insertion contact; no solder185.98, 6.75
J10020ZONE1_CB-side insertion contact; no solder186.98, 6.75
J10021ZONE2_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder187.98, 6.75
J10022ZONE2_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder188.98, 6.75
J10023ZONE2_WB-side insertion contact; no solder189.98, 6.75
J10024ZONE2_NB-side insertion contact; no solder190.98, 6.75
J10025ZONE2_CB-side insertion contact; no solder191.98, 6.75
J10026ZONE3_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder192.98, 6.75
J10027ZONE3_24VB-side insertion contact; no solder193.98, 6.75
J10028ZONE3_WB-side insertion contact; no solder194.98, 6.75
J10029ZONE3_NB-side insertion contact; no solder195.98, 6.75
J10030ZONE3_CB-side insertion contact; no solder196.98, 6.75
J221Z2_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap252.50, 47.20
J222Z2_T23_Wstrip solder overlap254.53, 47.20
J223Z2_T23_Nstrip solder overlap260.12, 47.20
J224Z2_T23_Cstrip solder overlap262.15, 47.20
J341unconnected-(J34-Pin_1-Pad1)strip solder overlap334.14, 47.20
J342unconnected-(J34-Pin_2-Pad2)strip solder overlap336.17, 47.20
J343unconnected-(J34-Pin_3-Pad3)strip solder overlap341.76, 47.20
J344unconnected-(J34-Pin_4-Pad4)strip solder overlap343.79, 47.20
J441ZONE4_24Vstrip solder overlap62.00, 47.20
J442ZONE4_Wstrip solder overlap64.03, 47.20
J443ZONE4_Nstrip solder overlap69.62, 47.20
J444ZONE4_Cstrip solder overlap71.65, 47.20
J321Z3_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap306.92, 47.20
J322Z3_T23_Wstrip solder overlap308.96, 47.20
J323Z3_T23_Nstrip solder overlap314.55, 47.20
J324Z3_T23_Cstrip solder overlap316.58, 47.20
J531Z5_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap102.82, 47.20
J532Z5_T23_Wstrip solder overlap104.85, 47.20
J533Z5_T23_Nstrip solder overlap110.44, 47.20
J534Z5_T23_Cstrip solder overlap112.47, 47.20
J231Z2_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap266.10, 47.20
J232Z2_T23_Wstrip solder overlap268.14, 47.20
J233Z2_T23_Nstrip solder overlap273.72, 47.20
J234Z2_T23_Cstrip solder overlap275.76, 47.20
J621Z6_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap143.64, 47.20
J622Z6_T23_Wstrip solder overlap145.67, 47.20
J623Z6_T23_Nstrip solder overlap151.26, 47.20
J624Z6_T23_Cstrip solder overlap153.29, 47.20
J241unconnected-(J24-Pin_1-Pad1)strip solder overlap279.71, 47.20
J242unconnected-(J24-Pin_2-Pad2)strip solder overlap281.74, 47.20
J243unconnected-(J24-Pin_3-Pad3)strip solder overlap287.33, 47.20
J244unconnected-(J24-Pin_4-Pad4)strip solder overlap289.36, 47.20
J631Z6_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap157.25, 47.20
J632Z6_T23_Wstrip solder overlap159.28, 47.20
J633Z6_T23_Nstrip solder overlap164.87, 47.20
J634Z6_T23_Cstrip solder overlap166.90, 47.20
J331Z3_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap320.53, 47.20
J332Z3_T23_Wstrip solder overlap322.56, 47.20
J333Z3_T23_Nstrip solder overlap328.15, 47.20
J334Z3_T23_Cstrip solder overlap330.18, 47.20
J131Z1_T23_24Vstrip solder overlap211.68, 47.20
J132Z1_T23_Wstrip solder overlap213.71, 47.20
J133Z1_T23_Nstrip solder overlap219.30, 47.20
J134Z1_T23_Cstrip solder overlap221.33, 47.20
J311ZONE3_24Vstrip solder overlap293.32, 47.20
J312ZONE3_Wstrip solder overlap295.35, 47.20
J313ZONE3_Nstrip solder overlap300.94, 47.20
J314ZONE3_Cstrip solder overlap302.97, 47.20
J611unconnected-(J61-Pin_1-Pad1)strip solder overlap130.03, 47.20
J612unconnected-(J61-Pin_2-Pad2)strip solder overlap132.07, 47.20
J613unconnected-(J61-Pin_3-Pad3)strip solder overlap137.65, 47.20
J614unconnected-(J61-Pin_4-Pad4)strip solder overlap139.69, 47.20
Lower cylinder band 96 pads
ReferencePinCarriesRolePosition (mm)
J411Z4_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap21.18, 39.20
J412Z4_B12_Wstrip solder overlap23.21, 39.20
J413Z4_B12_Nstrip solder overlap28.80, 39.20
J414Z4_B12_Cstrip solder overlap30.83, 39.20
J421Z4_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap34.78, 39.20
J422Z4_B12_Wstrip solder overlap36.82, 39.20
J423Z4_B12_Nstrip solder overlap42.40, 39.20
J424Z4_B12_Cstrip solder overlap44.44, 39.20
J431Z4_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap48.39, 39.20
J432Z4_B34_Wstrip solder overlap50.42, 39.20
J433Z4_B34_Nstrip solder overlap56.01, 39.20
J434Z4_B34_Cstrip solder overlap58.04, 39.20
J441Z4_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap62.00, 39.20
J442Z4_B34_Wstrip solder overlap64.03, 39.20
J443Z4_B34_Nstrip solder overlap69.62, 39.20
J444Z4_B34_Cstrip solder overlap71.65, 39.20
J511Z5_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap75.61, 39.20
J512Z5_B12_Wstrip solder overlap77.64, 39.20
J513Z5_B12_Nstrip solder overlap83.23, 39.20
J514Z5_B12_Cstrip solder overlap85.26, 39.20
J521Z5_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap89.21, 39.20
J522Z5_B12_Wstrip solder overlap91.24, 39.20
J523Z5_B12_Nstrip solder overlap96.83, 39.20
J524Z5_B12_Cstrip solder overlap98.87, 39.20
J531Z5_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap102.82, 39.20
J532Z5_B34_Wstrip solder overlap104.85, 39.20
J533Z5_B34_Nstrip solder overlap110.44, 39.20
J534Z5_B34_Cstrip solder overlap112.47, 39.20
J541Z5_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap116.43, 39.20
J542Z5_B34_Wstrip solder overlap118.46, 39.20
J543Z5_B34_Nstrip solder overlap124.05, 39.20
J544Z5_B34_Cstrip solder overlap126.08, 39.20
J611Z6_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap130.03, 39.20
J612Z6_B12_Wstrip solder overlap132.07, 39.20
J613Z6_B12_Nstrip solder overlap137.65, 39.20
J614Z6_B12_Cstrip solder overlap139.69, 39.20
J621Z6_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap143.64, 39.20
J622Z6_B12_Wstrip solder overlap145.67, 39.20
J623Z6_B12_Nstrip solder overlap151.26, 39.20
J624Z6_B12_Cstrip solder overlap153.29, 39.20
J631Z6_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap157.25, 39.20
J632Z6_B34_Wstrip solder overlap159.28, 39.20
J633Z6_B34_Nstrip solder overlap164.87, 39.20
J634Z6_B34_Cstrip solder overlap166.90, 39.20
J641Z6_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap170.85, 39.20
J642Z6_B34_Wstrip solder overlap172.89, 39.20
J643Z6_B34_Nstrip solder overlap178.48, 39.20
J644Z6_B34_Cstrip solder overlap180.51, 39.20
J111Z1_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap184.46, 39.20
J112Z1_B12_Wstrip solder overlap186.49, 39.20
J113Z1_B12_Nstrip solder overlap192.08, 39.20
J114Z1_B12_Cstrip solder overlap194.11, 39.20
J121Z1_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap198.07, 39.20
J122Z1_B12_Wstrip solder overlap200.10, 39.20
J123Z1_B12_Nstrip solder overlap205.69, 39.20
J124Z1_B12_Cstrip solder overlap207.72, 39.20
J131Z1_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap211.68, 39.20
J132Z1_B34_Wstrip solder overlap213.71, 39.20
J133Z1_B34_Nstrip solder overlap219.30, 39.20
J134Z1_B34_Cstrip solder overlap221.33, 39.20
J141Z1_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap225.28, 39.20
J142Z1_B34_Wstrip solder overlap227.31, 39.20
J143Z1_B34_Nstrip solder overlap232.90, 39.20
J144Z1_B34_Cstrip solder overlap234.94, 39.20
J211Z2_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap238.89, 39.20
J212Z2_B12_Wstrip solder overlap240.92, 39.20
J213Z2_B12_Nstrip solder overlap246.51, 39.20
J214Z2_B12_Cstrip solder overlap248.54, 39.20
J221Z2_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap252.50, 39.20
J222Z2_B12_Wstrip solder overlap254.53, 39.20
J223Z2_B12_Nstrip solder overlap260.12, 39.20
J224Z2_B12_Cstrip solder overlap262.15, 39.20
J231Z2_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap266.10, 39.20
J232Z2_B34_Wstrip solder overlap268.14, 39.20
J233Z2_B34_Nstrip solder overlap273.72, 39.20
J234Z2_B34_Cstrip solder overlap275.76, 39.20
J241Z2_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap279.71, 39.20
J242Z2_B34_Wstrip solder overlap281.74, 39.20
J243Z2_B34_Nstrip solder overlap287.33, 39.20
J244Z2_B34_Cstrip solder overlap289.36, 39.20
J311Z3_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap293.32, 39.20
J312Z3_B12_Wstrip solder overlap295.35, 39.20
J313Z3_B12_Nstrip solder overlap300.94, 39.20
J314Z3_B12_Cstrip solder overlap302.97, 39.20
J321Z3_B12_24Vstrip solder overlap306.92, 39.20
J322Z3_B12_Wstrip solder overlap308.96, 39.20
J323Z3_B12_Nstrip solder overlap314.55, 39.20
J324Z3_B12_Cstrip solder overlap316.58, 39.20
J331Z3_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap320.53, 39.20
J332Z3_B34_Wstrip solder overlap322.56, 39.20
J333Z3_B34_Nstrip solder overlap328.15, 39.20
J334Z3_B34_Cstrip solder overlap330.18, 39.20
J341Z3_B34_24Vstrip solder overlap334.14, 39.20
J342Z3_B34_Wstrip solder overlap336.17, 39.20
J343Z3_B34_Nstrip solder overlap341.76, 39.20
J344Z3_B34_Cstrip solder overlap343.79, 39.20

What has been checked — and what has not

CircuitERCDRCUnconnectedParityPin oraclePads / CAM flashesCAM tracksCAM drills
Arm ribbon0000PASS70 / 70100
Upper cylinder band0000PASS126 / 222252192
Lower cylinder band0000PASS96 / 192144192

Each of those ran against the routed design. "Pads / CAM flashes" compares the native design against the exported manufacturing data. The lower band has 96 two-sided lands and 192 flashes. The new upper has 96 two-sided strip lands plus 30 back-only insertion contacts: 126 pads and 222 copper flashes. The viewer and its registration test use the actual copper side for those thirty contacts.

None of the following has been done:

  • No circuit has been fabricated, so nothing has been measured, soldered or fitted.
  • The manufacturer has not accepted the stack-up, coverlay thickness and registration, stiffener geometry, or the requested tolerances — outline ±0.10 mm, pad position ±0.05 mm, coverlay alignment ±0.025 mm where a 0.05 mm capture is used.
  • The mounted pad alignment has not passed a template or coupon check. See the hold.
  • Adhesion of the tape to real cured coverlay and to aluminium is untested, and no safety insulation rating is credited to the adhesive.
  • No repeated-motion flex qualification is claimed for any of the three, and none is needed for the arm ribbon, which is static.
  • No CAN signal integrity, no radio, no thermal and no powered test of any kind.

Downloads

Native KiCad sources, the connection tables, the construction drawings and the manufacturing archives. Use the current upper insertion drawing and actual-size SVG template first. The A3 PDF is retained only as a labelled historical reference; its old upper tail is not the current outline.

CircuitFileSizeSHA-256 (first 12)Download
Arm ribbongimbal-static-v0.2.kicad_pcb46 kB7136c5c343dadownload
Arm ribbongimbal-static-v0.2.kicad_sch55 kB4aca27d215eedownload
Arm ribbongimbal-static-v0.2.kicad_pro9 kB1ba7cd743f92download
Arm ribbonfp-lib-table128 bytes9e2b7618924ddownload
Arm ribbonconnection-table.csv2 kB459719df5bcedownload
Arm ribbonstiffener-regions.csv835 bytese8a7fa70a77bdownload
Arm ribbondesign-intent.json3 kB4873f8171e94download
Arm ribbonverification.json2 kBb17837cfa26fdownload
Arm ribbonconstruction.svg8 kBc8e4610622c3download
Arm ribbonoverview.svg12 kB6091172d0e5adownload
Arm ribbonfabrication archive (Gerbers, drills, maps)7 kB39804422f9dcdownload
Upper cylinder bandled-upper-v0.3.kicad_pcb292 kB0af25f8f72fbdownload
Upper cylinder bandled-upper-v0.3.kicad_sch105 kB444302c3b7c2download
Upper cylinder bandled-upper-v0.3.kicad_pro9 kB48649b473816download
Upper cylinder bandfp-lib-table133 bytesa347ee4b351ddownload
Upper cylinder bandconnection-table.csv8 kB71203eb69de1download
Upper cylinder bandstiffener-regions.csv169 bytesf66766c13ecbdownload
Upper cylinder banddesign-intent.json125 kB46f93887facedownload
Upper cylinder bandverification.json2 kB712510f6a3d0download
Upper cylinder bandinsertion-drawing.svg19 kBb1fa13bb2e6edownload
Upper cylinder bandtemplate-1-to-1.svg54 kB2d3fbf2c9c41download
Upper cylinder bandJ100-pin-map.csv1000 bytesdc771ec84b33download
Upper cylinder bandJ100_FPC30_BottomContacts.kicad_mod7 kB817b137589b8download
Upper cylinder bandJ11_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBd73bcea3a092download
Upper cylinder bandJ12_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBcf86ac5d1d7fdownload
Upper cylinder bandJ13_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBdf856b8b5084download
Upper cylinder bandJ14_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB7005f5608e9cdownload
Upper cylinder bandJ21_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBdd015cb845dbdownload
Upper cylinder bandJ22_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBfc0b9c78bb50download
Upper cylinder bandJ23_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBab7e579640c3download
Upper cylinder bandJ24_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB6e227cbef29ddownload
Upper cylinder bandJ31_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBd3fb900ae237download
Upper cylinder bandJ32_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBb1a463026f84download
Upper cylinder bandJ33_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB2b629c1f9019download
Upper cylinder bandJ34_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBf5165a31c6c7download
Upper cylinder bandJ41_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBb8f3080dc557download
Upper cylinder bandJ42_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB9cd0a3ac81e3download
Upper cylinder bandJ43_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB20a7b988ac29download
Upper cylinder bandJ44_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB47e436c0c672download
Upper cylinder bandJ51_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBf85cea63eee6download
Upper cylinder bandJ52_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBf8c4963ec030download
Upper cylinder bandJ53_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB6ca4678b07d5download
Upper cylinder bandJ54_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBd43f88342e77download
Upper cylinder bandJ61_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB7462e5d1cb9edownload
Upper cylinder bandJ62_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBc46b413b839ddownload
Upper cylinder bandJ63_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kBcea0ef06a98edownload
Upper cylinder bandJ64_Solder4.kicad_mod2 kB345d9708db2ddownload
Upper cylinder bandFLEX-v0.3-upper-KiCad-project.zip92 kBf5f6adc194cadownload
Upper cylinder bandfabrication archive (Gerbers, drills, maps)60 kB243b050e5e1ddownload
Lower cylinder bandled-lower-v0.2.kicad_pcb260 kB21db9dba94c6download
Lower cylinder bandled-lower-v0.2.kicad_sch80 kBaf6adde4732bdownload
Lower cylinder bandled-lower-v0.2.kicad_pro595 bytesfd016441b542download
Lower cylinder bandfp-lib-table133 bytesa347ee4b351ddownload
Lower cylinder bandconnection-table.csv10 kBbc008507bd45download
Lower cylinder bandstiffener-regions.csv86 bytes4993f8b120f8download
Lower cylinder banddesign-intent.json71 kBa2b7d4c552a3download
Lower cylinder bandverification.json2 kBa0a0fbd1e3c8download
Lower cylinder bandconstruction.svg10 kB14a1b38779eedownload
Lower cylinder bandoverview.svg45 kB819b82cf5a53download
Lower cylinder bandfabrication archive (Gerbers, drills, maps)56 kB7683f432a580download
All threeHistorical v0.2 fit templates: upper tail obsolete; use current upper SVG16 kBa62821483bfbdownload
All threeEngineering notes (Markdown source)2 kBd1d7c7d5ae44download

The per-circuit fabrication reviews sent to the manufacturer are deliberately not published here: they carry vendor correspondence details. Public construction requirements are summarized in the engineering notes and per-design intent files above. These downloads do not replace supplier process review.

How this fits the rest of the fixture

This circuit Replaces Connects to
Arm ribbon Ten hand-cut wires along the arm Motor 2 power, the CAN pair and three spotlight pairs
Upper cylinder band Hand-soldered strip tails, upper half Six separately fused zone feeds through main J2 and upper J100
Lower cylinder band Hand-soldered strip tails, lower half The same six zones from below

The new main J2 and upper J100 are a matched pair. Doc 9 supplies their current pin map; J9–J11 and J13 retain the spotlight/arm interfaces.

Risk register

Risk Why it matters What would settle it
Mounted pad alignment Adhesive tolerance alone can exceed the lateral copper margin over half a turn The printed template dry-fitted on the actual compressed stack
Factory construction not accepted Stack, coverlay registration and the 1.4 mm fingers all need explicit review The manufacturer's response to the quotation package
Solder joint quality The high-resistance sensitivity breaks the wiring budget A supported sample joint, then loaded voltage measurement
Strip geometry assumed The real strip may mount faceted rather than conforming Full-size fit check on the real cylinder
Nothing ordered yet Every number here is from the design, not from a part Fabrication, after the holds above clear