Support blocks for printed circuit boards (PCB's) and printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA's), wherein the support blocks are produced from a 3D printing process. The support block including a bottom surface having a vacuum connection; a top surface having at least one vacuum hole; at least one recessed surface that is offset from the top surface; and at least one vacuum channel extending from the vacuum connection to the at least one vacuum hole.

The invention relates to an electronic module (40) comprising at least one printed circuit board of a first type (referred to as “printed circuit board A”), which is equipped in an overlapping manner with at least one printed circuit board of a second type (referred to as “printed circuit hoard B”), printed circuit board B being equipped with at least one electronic component with specific requirements (19), and the interconnected printed circuit boards A and B forming a stepped composite printed circuit board (100, 200, 300, 400, 500). The composite printed circuit board (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is delimited at least in some regions by end regions (16) which are formed by sections of the at least one printed circuit board A, and the composite printed circuit board (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is placed on a heat sink (20). A fastening side (15) of the at least one printed circuit board B rests flat on a contact face (21) of the heat sink (20), the contact face (21) of the heat sink (20) being dimensioned and positioned such that at least part of it extends laterally beyond the fastening side (15) of the at least one printed circuit board B in each case towards the end regions (16) formed. Supporting elements (23, 24, 25, 26) are formed on the contact face (21) of the heat sink for the mechanical support of the end regions (16). The invention also relates to a method for producing such an electronic module.

Support blocks for printed circuit boards (PCB's) and printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA's), wherein the support blocks are produced from a 3D printing process. The support block including a bottom surface having a vacuum connection; a top surface having at least one vacuum hole; at least one recessed surface that is offset from the top surface; and at least one vacuum channel extending from the vacuum connection to the at least one vacuum hole.

The invention relates to an electronic module (40) comprising at least one printed circuit board of a first type (referred to as printed circuit board A), which is equipped in an overlapping manner with at least one printed circuit board of a second type (referred to as printed circuit hoard B), printed circuit board B being equipped with at least one electronic component with specific requirements (19), mid the interconnected printed circuit boards A and B forming a stepped composite printed circuit board (100, 200, 300, 400, 300). The composite primed circuit board (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is delimited at least in some regions by end regions (16) which are formed by sections of the at least one printed circuit board A, and the composite printed circuit board (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) is placed on a heat sink (20). A fastening side (15) of the at least one printed circuit board B rests flat on a contact face (21) of the heat sink (20), the contact face (21) of the heat sink (20) being dimensioned and positioned such that at least part of a extends laterally beyond the fastening side (15) of the at least one printed circuit board B in each case towards the end regions (10) formed. Supporting elements (23, 24, 23, 26) are formed on the contact face (21) of the treat sink for the mechanical support of the end regions (16). The invention also relates to a method for producing such an electronic module.

A method for creating a circuit assembly includes printing first conductive traces on a first side of a flexible substrate, printing second conductive traces on a second side of the flexible substrate opposite to the first side, and placing the flexible substrate on a first pallet with the first side facing up. The method includes printing conductive adhesive to form first contact pads on the first side, placing at least one first component onto the first contact pads, and removing the flexible substrate from the first pallet. The method includes placing the flexible substrate on a second pallet with the second side facing up, where the second pallet includes recessed areas or cut outs that align with the at least one first component, printing conductive adhesive to form second contact pads on the second side, and placing at least one second component onto the second contact pads.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein relating to eliminating solder bridges between adjacent leads of small-pitch through-hole electrical components soldered to circuit boards using wave-soldering techniques. Several wave solder pallet insert patterns are disclosed. Each wave solder insert may include an insert pattern of peeling members is intended to eliminate solder bridges from various small-pitch component lead layouts.

A method of manufacturing a pallet for use during manufacture of a printed circuit board assembly includes determining optimal solder flow for establishing connections between lead pins of a plurality of pin-through-hole components arranged on a circuit board, designing a pallet to include geometries configured to provide the optimal solder flow when the pallet, supporting the circuit board thereon, is passed through a wave solder machine, and creating the pallet based on the design. Pallets configured for optimal solder flow and methods of manufacturing printed circuit board assemblies using such pallet are also provided.

An apparatus for holding a printed circuit board when mounting components thereon, said apparatus comprising a base plate, a mounting device for mounting a printed circuit board spaced from and substantially parallel to the base plate, a plurality of elongate support pins extending through respective holes within the base plate to extend transversely from the base plate, the support pins being independently positionable in height with respect to the base plate to define a configurable support surface for supporting components mounted on the printed circuit board during soldering, wherein the height that each pin extends from the base plate can be adjusted such that the support surface defined by the support pins can correspond to the topography of the circuit board and the components mounted thereon, a locking mechanism being provided for selectively locking the position of each support pin with respect to the base plate, wherein said locking mechanism comprises at least one elongate flexible member arranged to extend around a plurality of said support pins in convolute manner, tensioning device being associated with said at least one flexible member, whereby said tensioning device is adapted to selectively apply tension to said at least one flexible member to grip the pins around which said flexible member extends to lock the position of said pins with respect to the base plate.

A method of manufacturing a pallet for use during manufacture of a printed circuit board assembly includes determining optimal solder flow for establishing connections between lead pins of a plurality of pin-through-hole components arranged on a circuit board, designing a pallet to include geometries configured to provide the optimal solder flow when the pallet, supporting the circuit board thereon, is passed through a wave solder machine, and creating the pallet based on the design. Pallets configured for optimal solder flow and methods of manufacturing printed circuit board assemblies using such pallet are also provided.

A method of manufacturing a pallet for use during manufacture of a printed circuit board assembly includes determining optimal solder flow for establishing connections between lead pins of a plurality of pin-through-hole components arranged on a circuit board, designing a pallet to include geometries configured to provide the optimal solder flow when the pallet, supporting the circuit board thereon, is passed through a wave solder machine, and creating the pallet based on the design. Pallets configured for optimal solder flow and methods of manufacturing printed circuit board assemblies using such pallet are also provided.