Surface-mount PCB fasteners for Automated Pick-and-place Assembly

The integration of PCB fasteners into the normal pick-and-place assembly process offers OEMs and contract manufacturers significant benefits over through-hole or broached fixings. These benefits include:

* Faster parts handling and assembly

* Enhanced manufacturing quality and yield

* No risk of loose components being lost or mixed

* No need for slow, manual placement of components

Conventional broached fasteners present a number of challenges and restrictions. The designer must ensure that the fastener’s location on the board is easily accessible to allow for manual placement during assembly. The broaching fasteners are also typically supplied as loose components which increases the complexity of parts handling prior to, and during, the manufacturing process. Placing loose components leads to some devices being lost, or mixed with other loose components.

The use of surface-mount fasteners, supplied on a tape-and-reel, eliminates the need for fasteners to be placed manually onto the PCB.  Instead, the fasteners simply become another component which can be included in the automated pick-and-place assembly and reflow soldering process.

For the design engineer this means more flexibility in placing the fasteners and the assurance that they will be positioned and soldered to the same high quality. As the fastener is attached to the board using a non-intrusive process, unlike through-hole or broached attachment, the board is not exposed to the risk of cracking, and the fasteners can be placed closer to the edge of the board.