Flexible Busbars
SVS Maverick manufactures custom flexible busbars and laminated copper connectors rated from 100 A to 10,000 A. Made in Bangalore, India and supplied worldwide, our busbars combine the conductivity of solid copper with the flexibility demanded by switchgear, transformers, EV battery packs, and energy storage systems.
What Is a Flexible Busbar?
A flexible busbar - also called a laminated busbar, flexible copper connector, copper laminated flexible, or flexible shunt - is an electrical conductor made from multiple thin copper foils or strips stacked together and fused into solid contact pads at each end. This construction delivers the high current-carrying capacity of solid copper while the laminated body bends, twists, and flexes.
Unlike rigid busbars, flexible busbars absorb mechanical stresses from thermal expansion, vibration, and installation tolerances. This makes them the standard choice for connections between fixed and moving components, between equipment that expands at different rates, or wherever precise alignment is difficult to achieve.
SVS Maverick flexible busbars are manufactured from 99.9%+ purity electrolytic copper using a diffusion welding process, with optional plating and insulation to match each application's electrical, thermal, and environmental requirements.
Construction
- Multiple thin copper laminations (0.1-0.5 mm each)
- Diffusion-welded solid copper terminal ends
- Optional insulation over the flexible body
- Tin, nickel, or silver plating for corrosion protection
- Custom bend profiles and lengths
- Drilled, punched, or threaded terminal options
How Flexible Busbars Are Manufactured
1. Foil Cutting & Stacking
High-purity electrolytic copper foils (0.1-0.5 mm) are cut to length and stacked to achieve the required cross-sectional area.
2. Diffusion Welding
Terminal ends are fused under high current and pressure. The copper layers bond into a solid homogeneous block - no filler metal, no brazing alloy, negligible millivolt drop across the joint.
3. Machining & Forming
Contact pads are drilled, punched, or machined to drawing. The flexible body is formed to the required bend profile.
4. Plating & Insulation
Optional tin, nickel, or silver plating for corrosion protection, and insulation sleeving rated for the application temperature and voltage.
5. Testing & Inspection
Dimensional inspection, millivolt-drop / resistance measurement, and insulation testing before dispatch, with full material traceability.
Applications
Switchgear & Transformers
Flexible connections for power distribution equipment, compensating for thermal expansion and vibration.
- Thermal expansion compensation
- Vibration isolation
- Easy installation
- Long service life
EV Battery Packs & Energy Storage
High-current connections for electric vehicle battery modules, packs, and stationary energy storage with optimized space efficiency.
- High current capacity
- Compact design
- Thermal management
- Weight optimization
Selection & Design Guides
Laminated vs Braided Flexible Busbars
Compare construction, current capacity, flexibility, and cost - and learn which type fits your application.
Sizing & Ampacity Guide
How to size a flexible busbar: cross-section calculation, current density rules, temperature rise, and derating factors.
Ampacity Calculator
Interactive tool: enter your current, then adjust width, foil thickness, and laminations until the cross-section fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers on materials, plating, insulation, testing, lead times, minimum order quantities, and custom design.
Key Advantages
High Current Capacity
Multiple copper laminations provide the same current-carrying capability as solid copper of equal cross-section, with ratings up to 10,000 A.
Flexibility
Accommodates thermal expansion, vibration, and misalignment between connection points without stressing terminals or insulators.
Low Inductance
Laminated flat construction minimizes inductance and skin-effect losses, improving performance in high-frequency and fast-switching circuits.
Space Efficient
Compact flat profile bends around obstacles and installs in tight spaces where rigid busbars and round cables cannot fit.
Thermal Performance
Large surface area of multiple thin copper layers dissipates heat efficiently, reducing hotspots and temperature rise.
Custom Solutions
Every busbar is manufactured to customer drawings or developed by our engineers from your electrical and mechanical requirements.
Technical Specifications
| Conductor Material | Electrolytic Copper (ETP), Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) |
| Purity | 99.9%+ Cu |
| Lamination Thickness | 0.1 - 0.5 mm |
| Number of Laminations | 10 - 200+ layers |
| Current Rating | 100 A - 10,000 A continuous |
| Cross-Section Range | 10 mm² - 4,000 mm² |
| Insulation Options | Polyolefin heat shrink, PVC, silicone, Kapton, PET, Nomex |
| Terminal Types | Drilled holes, threaded studs, palm terminals, custom |
| Plating Options | Tin, Nickel, Silver |
| Manufacturing Process | Diffusion (press) welding of terminal ends |
Industries Served
Material Options
Electrolytic Copper (ETP)
Standard 99.9%+ purity copper with 100% IACS conductivity - the default choice for flexible busbars.
Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC)
Ultra-high purity copper for critical applications requiring maximum conductivity and weldability.
Tinned Copper
Tin-plated copper foils for enhanced corrosion resistance, solderability, and long-term contact stability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a flexible busbar?
A flexible busbar is an electrical conductor made from multiple thin copper foils (typically 0.1-0.5 mm each) stacked and bonded together at the terminal ends. It carries high currents like a solid copper busbar but bends and flexes along its length, allowing it to absorb thermal expansion, vibration, and alignment tolerances between connection points.
How are flexible busbars manufactured?
Thin electrolytic copper foils are stacked to the required cross-section, then the terminal ends are fused into solid contact pads using diffusion (press) welding - high current and pressure applied simultaneously, bonding the copper layers into a homogeneous solid without any filler material. The contact ends are then drilled, punched, or machined to the customer drawing, and the body can be insulated with heat shrink, PVC, or high-temperature films.
What is the difference between a flexible busbar and a rigid busbar?
A rigid busbar is a solid copper or aluminium bar that must be precisely aligned and cannot absorb movement. A flexible busbar uses laminated thin foils, so it tolerates thermal expansion, vibration, and misalignment while carrying the same current for a given cross-section. Flexible busbars are preferred wherever two connection points move relative to each other or where installation tolerances are hard to control.
What current ratings are available?
SVS Maverick manufactures flexible busbars from 100 A up to 10,000 A continuous current. The rating depends on the copper cross-section, number of laminations, permissible temperature rise, and ambient conditions. Our engineering team sizes each busbar to the application - send us your current, voltage, and space requirements for a recommendation.
Can flexible busbars be insulated?
Yes. Standard options include polyolefin heat shrink sleeves (up to 125°C), PVC sleeving (105°C), silicone rubber (180°C), and Kapton polyimide film (200°C). For EV and battery applications, PET and Nomex insulation meeting automotive high-voltage isolation requirements are available.
Do you export flexible busbars outside India?
Yes. SVS Maverick manufactures flexible busbars in Bangalore, India and supplies customers worldwide, including Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. We work from customer drawings or develop designs from electrical and mechanical requirements.
More questions? See the full flexible busbar FAQ or ask our engineers.
Custom Flexible Busbar Solutions
Send us your drawing or your electrical and mechanical requirements - current rating, voltage, terminal dimensions, and space envelope. Our engineering team in Bangalore designs and manufactures custom flexible busbars for customers in India and worldwide, from prototype quantities to series production.
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