On July 7, OKI Electric Cable, the electric cable business company of the OKI Group, announced the launch of its small-lot custom long flexible printed circuits (FPCs) for use in rockets and satellite-mounted equipment. Sales will begin on July 8, 2025. Designed to meet growing demand for one-off development and prototyping in the New Space sector, the new offering supports production starting from a single sheet.

Manufactured at OKI's Gunma Factory in Isesaki City, Japan, these long-length FPCs can reach up to 100 meters in length, contributing to the miniaturization, weight reduction, and thickness reduction of space-grade electronics. By leveraging proprietary manufacturing technologies, OKI aims to accelerate development cycles, lower launch costs, and enhance the design flexibility of aerospace equipment.

FPCs are lightweight and flexible printed circuit boards that consist of copper foil laminated onto a heat- and radiation-resistant insulating base film, such as polyimide. Their high bendability makes them well-suited for routing in confined spaces or moving parts where repeated flexing occurs—key advantages in aerospace systems.

OKI's FPCs have already been deployed in space missions, including JAXA's IKAROS solar sail demonstrator. The company operates two dedicated production lines to support a wide range of manufacturing needs: a sheet-fed line for small-lot, high-mix production and a roll-to-roll line for high-volume manufacturing. This dual-line system enables flexible, custom development of various shapes, sizes, and technical specifications, starting from prototype through to mass production.

Under its Medium-Term Business Plan 2025, OKI identifies the aerospace sector as a strategic focus for its electronics manufacturing services (EMS) business. Leveraging its expertise in high-reliability design, production, and simulation technologies, the company is advancing development and expanding its presence in the global space and aerospace markets.

OKI has set a sales target of ¥50 million (approximately USD 310,000) for this product line in fiscal year 2026. Pricing will be determined on a project-specific basis.