What Impact Does PCB Panelization Have on SMT Assembly

       In the field of electronic manufacturing, with the continuous advancement of technology and growth of market demand, PCB panelization technology has gradually become an important link in the production process. So do you know what impact does PCB panelization have on SMT assembly?

 

1. Why Does PCB Need to be Made by Panel?

PCB panelization is to meet production needs. When some PCB boards are too small and do not meet the fixture requirements, they need to be spliced together for production. At the same time, panelization can also improve the welding efficiency of SMT patches, because they only need to go through the SMT process once to complete the welding of multiple PCB. In addition, panelization can also save cost. For example, for some special-shaped PCB board, waste can be reduced through panel production, thereby improving area utilization.

 

 

2. Bad Cases of Panelization Without Spacing

Problem Description:

Because the silk screen printing of the component packages on the PCB is designed beyond the edge of the board, and no-spacing panels are produced without paying attention to inspection, when they are assembled, it will cause interference between components, thus affecting the entire SMT placement process.

 

 

Problem Impact:

Components that extend beyond the edge of the board will not be able to be assembled on no-spacing panels, which will extend the product development cycle. Problems may also occur if assembly is forced. For example, if half of the components on the same side is assembled and the other half is not assembled, half of the product will be scrapped.

 

 

Problem Extension:

Components that extend beyond the edge of the board can barely be plugged-in after being assembled without spacing. Splitting the boards after plug-in may cause damage to the components, resulting in greater cost losses.

 

 

3. Applicable Methods of PCB Panelization

3.1 CNC+V-CUT Panelization

The panelization method of routing board+V-Cut is suitable for boards with components on the edges, but it cannot be produced by no-spacing panel. It is necessary to adopt the form of panel with breakaway tab. Both ends are processed with V-CUT+breakaway tab, leaving a gap in the middle to facilitate welding of components. Otherwise, the components on the edge of the board will interfere with each other, making it impossible to assemble and weld.

 

 

3.2 Stamp Holes Connection Panel

Stamp holes is a connection method of panelization. When V-CUT connection cannot solve the problem, such as when V-CUT cannot be performed on circular boards, irregular boards, etc., stamp hole can be used to connect the panels.

 

 

3.3 V-CUT Connection Panel

V-CUT connection panel is suitable for regular boards. Since the V-CUT knife cannot rotate, the V-CUT position must be a straight line for V-CUT operation. In addition, it should be noted that components close to the edge of the board should not be panelized for V-CUT to avoid affecting assembly and welding.

 

 

3.4 Panelization without Breakaway Tab

In the panelization process of small boards, in order to improve the utilization rate of the boards, the breakaway tabs are often omitted. However, it should be noted that the position of V-CUT cannot have components close to the edge of the board. If the component are close to the edge of the board, it is best to leave a gap on the breakaway tab when panelize the boards, otherwise it may affect the assembly and solderability of the components.

 

 

To sum up, PCB panelization has a certain impact on SMT assembly. Reasonable planning and attention to some potential problems are required to ensure the normal installation of components and product quality.

 

 

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