Wearables combine limited area with battery, antenna, mechanical and assembly constraints. HDI can help routing density while these other constraints still determine the product.
What to consider
Keep RF keepouts and flex or connector transitions visible during component placement. Review skin-side thermal paths and mechanical stress with the product team. Do not spend every available millimeter on dense routing before reserving test access, enclosure features and assembly tolerances.
A practical review example
For a round wearable board, compare a compact rigid design with separate rigid islands joined by flex. Include assembly, antenna behavior and mechanical reliability in the comparison.
Checks before release
- Reserve antenna and enclosure constraints early.
- Review battery and charging current paths.
- Coordinate test access and rework.
Connect this decision to fabrication
Use the material selector to organize the initial discussion. Keep proposed values separate from the approved drawing and document the effect of any change on the rest of the construction.
- Start with enclosure, interface and assembly constraints.
- Budget space for test access and rework.
- Qualify the final product for its actual use environment.
Technical references
HDI design and manufacturing overviewFabrication design guidelinesReferences checked 2 October 2026. Manufacturer data describes its stated construction and is not an HDIPCB.org manufacturing commitment.