PCB Fixtures for PCB Manufacturing, Assembly, and Post-Assembly

PCBONLINE provides custom design of printed circuit board (PCB) fixtures for electronics manufacturing. Our PCB fixtures are accurately designed and manufactured for PCB fabrication, testing, PCB assembly, and post-assembly.

As an OEM PCB manufacturer, PCBONLINE designs but does not manufacture the PCB fixtures. Our custom fixtures for PCB fabrication, testing, assembly, and post-assembly are manufactured by the top 3 mold/fixture manufacturers in China. We maintain long-term cooperation with them, and they fabricate according to our designs.

Besides, PCBONLINE doesn't make a profit in PCB fixtures, as fixture design is part of our free one-on-one engineering services, and you only need to pay for the fixture manufacturing fees charged by our partner, the fixture manufacturer.

PCB Fixtures for Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing

The PCB fixtures used in PCB manufacturing are used for drilling, exposure/development, lamination, and plating.

Drilling fixture

A drilling fixture secures and aligns the PCB panel during the drilling process.

To drill PCB vias, the drill bit must align the board with a drilling fixture. A drilling fixture ensures the laminated board remains in position and reduces misalignment. It consists of hard plates with guide pins and clamps to maintain registration.

Phototool alignment fixture for exposure and development

This fixture aligns photomasks with the PCB surface during the photoresist exposure process.

A phototool (film) is a semitransparent plastic film drawing the circuit for circuit exposure and development. A phototool alignment fixture is used for accurate alignment between the film and the copper layer. The fixture uses vacuum beds and alignment pins for the optical alignment systems to ensure precise positioning before UV exposure. In the automated exposure machine, the fixture works with the vision systems to align registration marks on the film and PCB substrate.

Lamination fixture

In multilayer PCB manufacturing, lamination is the process to bond the etched inner layers, prepreg, and the outer layers. This process requires a lamination fixture for precise registration, securing, and supporting the laminated materials.

Plating Fixture

We usually call a plating fixture the rack. It holds the PCB in place and serves as the conductive path during electroplating processes.

A plating fixture clamps the PCB panel vertically through the plating bath via the conveyor system. It contributes currents to all parts of the PCB panel, so the plating thickness can be uniform.

PCB Fixtures for Printed Circuit Board Assembly

PCBONLINE provides both SMT and PTH assembly, including the fixtures or jigs for the PCBA process.

SMT stencil for SMT assembly

Is an SMT stencil also a fixture? I can barely say that. Anyway, it is a specialized tool to align the PCB during solder paste application. The CAM engineers at PCBONLINE custom-design it and let it be manufactured by our stencil manufacturing partner.

During surface mount assembly, in the solder paste printing machine, the PCB pauses beneath the SMT stencil, and the scraper presses the solder paste through the holes of the stencil to apply to the PCB accurately.

Flexible PCB fixture

Besides flexible PCB manufacturing and assembly, PCBONLINE also designs and provides flexible PCB assembly fixtures.

You may wonder why flexible PCB assembly requires a custom fixture to fix the flexible printed circuit board. Well, flexible PCBs are so light and soft, without fixing and supporting them with a fixture, alignment and reflow soldering can't go ahead because they move and roll up.

The flexible PCB is secured by the fixture throughout the FPC SMT assembly process.

Wave soldering fixture

Check the wave soldering process at PCBONLINE above! You can find that a custom fixture for wave soldering is used repeatedly.

The wave soldering fixture clamps the PCBA to pass over a wave of molten solder. It exposes only the through-hole areas for soldering and protects the other areas of the board from heat damage.

PCBONLINE has rich experience in fixture design for wave soldering to prevent the component flotation issue.

PCB Fixtures for Testing

PCBONLINE also designs and provides custom fixtures for bare PCB testing and PCB assembly testing. All we want is to ensure the prior quality!

Bed-of-nails fixture for the electrical test

The flying probe test doesn't require a tool, but the electrical test does -- a bed-on-nails fixture! PCBONLINE also custom designs this fixture and handles the manufacturing for our fixture partner.

For high-volume production, the bed of nails fixture uses spring-loaded test pins (Pogo pins) to contact each test point simultaneously. It is super fast. (The flying probe test can also test the open and short circuits, but it is slow. So high-volume production needs such a bed-of-nails fixture!)

Functional test fixture in post-assembly

After PCB assembly, a functional test is vital, and PCBONLINE provides it for free, including the fixture, if your order is for mass production!

A functional test simulates the final application environment by applying power, inputs, and signals to check outputs of the PCBA.

The fixture connects to test software running on a computer. The computer screen shows the PASS or NG results, and a speaker also reminds.

PCB Fixtures in Post-Assembly

Besides the functional test, depanelization, IC programming, and conformal coating require custom fixtures. PCBONLINE also designs and provides them so that your project can smoothly move forward at our factories.

Programming fixture

A programming fixture burns firmware into microcontrollers or memory chips. If your PCBA project is a few prototypes or has a standard programming interface, PCBONLINE provides a standard programmer like an ST-Link. For high-volume PCB assembly, PCBONLINE designs the custom programming fixture and handles its fabrication through our fixture partner.

Besides post-assembly, the software can also be burned to the bare ICs before PCB assembly. If so, the fixture is different from post-assembly. It is a specialized pin with a probe corresponding to the PCB pad.

PCB depanelization fixture

After PCB assembly, PCBONLINE depanelizes the PCB panel into single PCBAs before their delivery to you. We provide considerate services for you to use or sell them conveniently.

From the video, you will find that PCBONLINE uses a router-type PCB depaneling machine for PCB panelization.

Our fixture secures and suctions the PCBA. Its upper fixture board guides the router to cut the PCBA panel, and its bottom board suctions the PCBA. Besides, it has holes for the vacuum hose to instantly sucks away dust and debris.

Conformal coating fixture

In post-assembly, PCBONLINE provides conformal coatings to give more protection to the PCBA against moisture, dust, chemicals, temperature changes, and vibrations. The fixture for spraying conformal coatings accurately is also designed by PCBONLINE's CAM engineers.

Partner with PCBONLINE for Turnkey PCB Assembly

If you are looking for turnkey PCB manufacturing, with the PCB fixtures, don't hesitate to contact the turnkey PCBA manufacturer PCBONLINE! We are a leading PCBA manufacturer in China that serves clients around the world. From prototypes to mass production, PCBONLINE provides PCB manufacturing, PCB assembly, testing, and value-added services in post-assembly.

Please feel free to contact PCBONLINE via email at info@pcbonline.comor register to get an online quote if you have any needs.

Conclusion

PCBONLINE not only provides turnkey PCB manufacturing but also designs the PCB fixtures. Our fixture manufacturer partners manufacture the fixtures according to our design and requirements. If you want to order or consult about PCBs/PCBAs, don't hesitate to contact PCBONLINE.