Impel™ Backplane and Daughtercard Tooling
Doc. No: TM-622018899
Release Date: 02-21-14
UNCONTROLLED COPY
Page 8 of 25
Revision: A
Revision Date: 02-21-14
Figure 2-2
TOOLING HOLDER
M3 SET
SCREWS
KEYWAY
Installation and Operation
2.1 Printed Circuit Board Support
Due to the high forces required to press in compliant-pin connectors, a backup or support plate is suggested to prevent
damage to the printed circuit board. The support fixture should have clearance for the connector terminals if they
protrude through the underside of the printed circuit board. The support fixture should have some method of locating the
PCB consistently. Due to the custom nature of each application, Molex does not supply support and locating fixtures.
The customer normally fabricates the fixture to fit their application.
The following is one way of making a printed circuit board support and locating fixture:
1. Locate a suitable piece of material for the backup. It should be approximately 20mm thick and the same size or slightly
larger than the printed circuit board to be used. While aluminum could be used, a rigid nonconductive material such as a
phenolic is preferred. (A stack of scrap printed circuit boards of suitable size can also be fastened together.)
2. Obtain a scrap printed circuit board like the ones to be assembled. Attach this board to the material from step 1.
3. Using an oversize drill bit, drill through each hole where a pin from the connector will go. Drill deep enough into the
lower material to be certain the pins do not bottom out when inserted (at least 5.0mm (0.20”) deep).
4. Locate two (2) holes on the printed circuit board to use as locating points. Mount suitably sized dowel pins in these two
locations on the support fixture.
5. Clear out the support for any components mounted on the underside of the printed circuit board.
6
Place a printed circuit board on top of the support, located by the two pins, and check that the holes for the connector
pins are aligned.
7. By hand, pre-insert a connector in the printed circuit board.
8. Load the insertion tool into the connector.
9. Place the support with the printed circuit board under the press ram.
10.
Press the connector into the printed circuit board and observe for any
deflection of the board when the ram is at the bottom of its stroke.
2.2 Press Stroke Adjustment
Most presses have some means of adjusting the stroke; please refer to the press
manual for press stroke adjustments. The stroke should be adjusted so that when the press ram stops in the down position,
the bottom of the connector is flush to 0.10mm (.004”) above the surface of the printed circuit board. See Figure 2-1.
2.3 Installation
To install insertion modules into a tooling holder (see Table 4-2), use the
following procedure:
1.
Along the lower edge of the tooling holder is a row of M3 set screws. (See
Figure 2-2) Loosen these a few turns so that they do not protrude into the
inside of the holder.
2.
Slide the insertion modules into the tooling holder in the proper order. See
Figure 2-3. The modules are keyed so that they cannot be installed
backwards.
Figure 2-1
MAXIMUM CLEARANCE WHEN
CONNECTOR FULLY SEATED
0.10mm
(.004 in.)
Maximum