ADFlex Solutions Inc. announces SuspensionFlex, the next generation of recording head interconnects.CHANDLER Chandler, city (1990 pop. 90,533), Maricopa co., S central Ariz., in the Salt River valley; inc. 1920. It is both a residential community and a center for research and technology. Tourism is also important, and the San Marcos Golf Resort is in Chandler. , Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 1995--ADFlex Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ/NM:AFLX) Monday announced SuspensionFlex, a technology that the company believes will lead to an advanced, low-cost interconnect (1) To attach one device to another. (2) A physical port (plug, socket) or wireless port (transmitter, receiver) used to attach one device to another. replacement for the lead wire assemblies currently used in computer hard disk drives and other products. ADFlex is developing the technology in close cooperation with several major manufacturers of magnetic recording heads, headstack assemblies and hard disk drives. These companies, which include two of the world's largest manufacturers of recording head assemblies, are providing product design, critical performance criteria and assembly process development. In product form, SuspensionFlex is a micro-miniature flexible interconnect that would connect a magnetic recording head, or "slider A block of material that holds the read/write head of a magnetic disk. See flying head. ," to the dynamic read/write flexible circuit currently used in all disk drive designs. In such applications, SuspensionFlex is intended to replace the conventional lead wire sets which, because they are typically attached by hand, are usually difficult and expensive to handle. This problem is particularly acute in high-density applications that call for advanced magnetoresistive See magnetoresistance. (MR) head, which require four wires -- each smaller in diameter than a human hair -- that currently must be placed in the same space. The industry trend toward smaller 30 percent (pico) sliders sliders a species of tortoise kept as pets. They have a black shell and a red stripe behind the eye. Called also Chrysemys scripta elegans, red-eared sliders. from the current standard 50 percent (nano (1) Billionth (10 to the -9th power). See space/time. (2) Refers to the nanotech industry in general. See nanotechnology. (3) See iPod nano. ) sliders will further reduce the space available for wire-to-head-pad connections. With SuspensionFlex, one miniature flexible circuit carries two to four conductors in a precise and repeatable pattern dictated by the artwork used to generated the etched circuit etched circuit: see printed circuit. . Accurately positioned "windows" are created using a proprietary ADFlex laser process, which clears openings to bond unsupported conductor leads to the head pads on the slider. SuspensionFlex will lend itself to automation, due to its repeatable pattern, or it can be assembled manually. ADFlex, which already has licensed a key patent in this technology, began initial development four years ago in anticipation of the market's transition to MR heads. The company has sufficiently advanced the technology to produce pre-production samples of the devices and, in coming months, will focus with its partners on developing the processes for producing them in volume. "This program reinforces our position as one of the leading developers of the technologies that are helping to bring the future into the present," said Rolando C. Esteverena, ADFlex president and chief executive officer. "By bringing SuspensionFlex to a state where it can be produced inexpensively and in volume, we and our partners will be advancing the next wave of miniaturization min·i·a·tur·ize tr.v. min·i·a·tur·ized, min·i·a·tur·iz·ing, min·i·a·tur·iz·es To plan or make on a greatly reduced scale. min , which has the potential to be highly beneficial to not only ourselves, but the end users of the products that incorporate them. Importantly, much of our development work for SuspensionFlex can also be applied to other markets where smaller form factors and advanced performance are critical." ADFlex Solutions is a leading U.S. supplier of flexible circuit-based interconnect solutions to the computer, computer peripheral and communication industries. Applications for flex-based interconnects include cellular telephones, hard disk drives and other storage systems, high-end consumer products, notebook computers A laptop computer that weighs in a range from five to seven pounds. The term originated when laptops were routinely more than 10 pounds, and those that became lighter were placed in a special "notebook" category. In practice, notebook computer and laptop computer are synonymous. , pagers and personal communications systems In telecommunication, a communications system is a collection of individual communications networks, transmission systems, relay stations, tributary stations, and data terminal equipment (DTE) usually capable of interconnection and interoperation to form an integrated whole. . CONTACT: ADFlex Solutions Inc., Chandler Robert G. Pape, 602/963-4584 Steven C. Lockard, 602/786-8277 or Silverman Heller Associates Eugene G. Heller, 310/208-2550 |
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