Soldering Fine-pitch Parts Easily With PCB Fixture

Description

When I was trying solder parts that has 0.4mm pitch parts like the connectors or ICs shown in the picture, the gets miss aligned on the other side. There is not much solutions to prevent this. Only way to fix this miss alignment is to reheat the part and align them again.

I needed fixture that holds these parts inline so when the soldered using hot air or hot plate. Also something that can hold the heat as well as precise fixture so the parts won't move.

Only solution was cutting a metal plate with CNC, but that cost is high and it will take lots of heat to solder as the metal plate will work as a heat dispenser. Then the best and cheap solution that I found is using PCB.

*They are cheap to make and precise as made with CNC
*Won't interfere with heating the part and solder.

It's far easy to make this kind of fixture, I used FreeCAD to get the outline of the part then imported that outline to KiCad to build the PCB and ordered the PCB from PCBWay.

Details

Step 1: Install and setup this apps

FrerCAD and KiCAD is needed
Open FreeCAD, make sure KicadStepUP work add-on is installed.
Make sure the 3D files of the parts(resistor , IC etc.) in the PCB that you want to make fixture of showing up correctly in the 3D viewer by going View>3D viewer in KiCAD.

Step 2: Build the Fixture PCB Project in Kicad

Build the fixture PCB project

First make an empty project in the KiCad.
In the PCB editor window make a closed shape in the Edge.cut layer on the layer menu on right panel and save it.
remember to close the this file in the KiCad.

Step 3: Create the Outline of the Parts

First open the that you want to make fixture of in the FreeCAD using menu File>Import and select the PCB file like in the pic.

Then import the fixture PCB in the step 2.
After the import is finished, locate the PCB_Sketch_xxx file on the Model panel in the FreeCad, like shown in the pic.

Double click to edit it, and make the part fixture outline. mine shown in the pic.

Step 4: Push the New PCB Outline to the PCB File

Select the PCB_Sketch_xxx file and select the Push Sketch to PCB option and select the PCB file that created in the step 2. Just go with the default outline.

Step 5: Order the PCB

Now open PCB file created in the step 2 in the KiCad.

The new PCB outline made in the FreeCad in step 3 should show up now.

Now export the gerber file and order the PCB as usually from PCB fab. I used PCBWay, you can use me promotional link to order yours.

Remember to use no coper layer as shown in the pic, PCBWay will look into the file and give you a quote, easy.

Step 6: Using the Fixture to Solder

Here is the custom fixture for my mutantC v5 PCB.

I pre-applied the solder on the pads
put the fixture on top of the PCB and used tape to fix it so it won't move
put down the parts of inside the cut out
then used the hot-plate to melt the solder and used flux also.
now after solder is done, removed the fixture and cleaned the PCB, and checked the solder

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Soldering Fine-pitch Parts Easily With PCB Fixture

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Description

Details

Step 1: Install and setup this apps

Step 2: Build the Fixture PCB Project in Kicad

Step 3: Create the Outline of the Parts

Step 4: Push the New PCB Outline to the PCB File

Step 5: Order the PCB

Step 6: Using the Fixture to Solder

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