PCB Panel Requirement of Assembly
A PCB panel is created by combining multiple small PCB boards together to form a larger PCB panel. Following the panel assembly process, the PCB panel will be divided into various individual smaller boards.
Panelization can be used to enhance the production efficiency of printed circuit boards for smaller PCBs and PCBs with different shapes. For PCBs that measure less than 50mm*50mm, it is advised to utilize panelization technology.
Mounting electronic components on a blank PCB panel board through SMT mounting equipment is what the PCB assembly panel is all about.
Type of Assembly Panel
There are two main types of assembly panels used in the SMT mounting process.
• PCB Panel With Only One Side Used
Single-sided PCB panels can only be mounted on a single-purpose printed circuit board. This particular PCB panel is appropriate for single larger PCBs and small-batch PCB assembly processes.
• PCB Panels with Multiple Connections
Multi-connected PCB panels can accommodate multiple PCB boards with identical designs. The quantity of PCB boards installed is determined by the dimensions of the PCB boards.
Benefits of PCB Panels
• Enhance Efficiency
PCB panel boards help enhance production efficiency by minimizing the frequency of board changes in the production process. PCB panels can also be produced in batches using automated processes.
• Reduce Expenses
By utilizing PCB panels, production costs can be lowered by decreasing board waste.
• Simple to Put Together and Evaluate
Automated equipment can help decrease the difficulty and amount of work in assembling and testing PCB panels.
• Add Variety to the Design.
PCB designers have the capability to create various PCB circuit layouts simultaneously using PCB panelization technology. When creating PCB prototypes, we utilized area segmentation to organize printed circuit boards for producing numerous PCB prototype circuit boards.
• Make Sure the Product Is Safe.
The use of PCB panel technology provides protection for printed circuit boards against mechanical stress, vibration, shock, and other factors encountered during the manufacturing process.
• PCB Panel Requirement of Assembly
1. The minimum size of a PCB board is generally not less than 50mm*50mm, and the maximum size is not more than 310mm*410mm.
2. When designing the PCB frame, the frame tries to form a closed loop to prevent the PCB panel from deforming during SMT assembly.
3. There should be a space of more than 0.5mm between the electronic components and the edge of the PCB board.
4. Positioning holes should be added at the four corners of the panel edge, and the hole diameter can be 4mm±0.01mm.
5. Wiring or welding is banned within 1mm of the edge positioning hole.
6. When PCB panels are assembled, we should add the reference mark, usually located at the diagonal edge of the panel.
7. when adopting gapless paneling, the distance between the boards is 0. In addition, it is necessary to add process edges on both sides of the assembled board to fix the circuit board during SMT assembly and welding.
Our company’s requirement for process edges is a minimum width of 3mm, and we generally use 5mm.
8. If there are gaps between the boards, the distance between the boards must be greater than or equal to 1.6mm.
9. If you adopt stamp holes for connection, you need to place 5 to 8 holes on the edge of the circuit board and place them in double rows. The hole diameter is required to be 0.6 mm. The distance between holes should be 0.25 to 0.35 mm. The stamp holes can be placed in the middle of the board frame line or extend to 1/3 of the board.
When to Use PCB Panel Assembly
• Small Circuit Board Size
Since many factories now have fully automated production, automated equipment has restrictions on the size of printed circuit boards. Cutting tools cannot be used when assembling small-sized circuit boards. In this case, it is necessary to create a large panel to facilitate circuit board assembly.
• Mass Production
When you need to produce PCB boards in large quantities, splicing multiple boards into a large panel and, at the same time, assembling many boards can improve assembly efficiency and save time and labor costs.
•Electronic Components Close to the Edge of the Board
If the electronic components are too close to the edge of the circuit board, many problems will occur during the PCB assembly process. For example, uneven solder paste printing, SMT assembly out of range, etc. So, PCB panel board assembly is a safer processing method than single PCB assembly.
If you have any of the above questions, you can contact us at yt-electronic. As a PCBA manufacturer, we have decades of rich PCB assembly experience and fully automated production equipment. We have invested heavily in introducing advanced foreign PCB production equipment, such as Berkeley laminators, Hitachi drills, Japanese screen automatic exposure machines, LDI, AOI, etc. These devices can avoid many problems in the production process. If you cooperate with us, you will get high-quality products and more quality services.
Process of Manufacturing and Assembling PCB Panels
Once the design of the PCB panel is finished, you can search for a manufacturer to put together the PCB panel. The process of assembling the PCB panel includes the following steps:
• Fabrication of PCB Panels
The process of creating PCB panels involves the use of photolithography. The PCB panel is coated with photoresist and then exposed to ultraviolet light using a photomask. Photoresist includes a substance that becomes solid when it comes into contact with ultraviolet light, which then removes excess copper to form the intended circuit design.
• Printing of Solder Paste
Position the PCB panel onto a stainless steel plate, then uniformly distribute solder paste onto the pads on the surface of the circuit board. Next, the SPI machine examines the solder paste's printing quality and checks for any tin leakage or inadequate tin.
• Surface Mount Technology Assembly
The machine automatically positions the surface mount parts onto the PCB panel and then uses machine equipment to solder the BGA, IC, resistors, capacitors, and other components onto the PCB surface.
• Reprocess
The PCB panel is placed inside a reflow oven to be heated, causing the solder paste to melt at a high temperature and then cool down, ultimately securing the electronic components onto the board.
• PCB Panel Testing
Following reflow soldering, the PCB panel will be tested with methods including automatic optical inspection (AOI), X-ray inspection, in-circuit testing (ICT), etc, to determine if the PCB circuit board meets the necessary standards in terms of capability and quality.
• Board Displaying the Scores
PCB Scoreboard consists of V-shaped scribing, lug wiring, routing, laser Scoreboard, and other components.
• Final Inspection and Packaging
The last check before packaging and the process of preparing the product for shipment.
The individual printed circuit boards go through one last visual check to make sure they adhere to quality guidelines. They are prepared for shipment and sent to customers.
Summary
Panelization plays a crucial role in the process of PCB assembly. It has the potential to enhance productivity, decrease expenses, and maintain uniform quality in large-scale manufacturing. Collaboration with a seasoned PCB manufacturer is essential at every stage.
Ask for specifications needed to provide a quote for assembling a panel
