FPC SMT Jig development
2025-12-08
The FPC( Flexible Printed Circuit) SMT process need a tray to support it because of soft film. The thickness of FPC is from 0.13mm to 0.20mm normally. Most copper thickness is 1 oz. So PCBA factory need to make a special tray to hold this FPC, in order it can work in solder paste printing and chip pick-up and place process. The development of FPC patch fixture has mainly experienced the evolution from traditional mechanical fixture to magnetic fixture, and the core driving force is the improvement demand of production efficiency, yield and process complexity.
Traditional Mechanical Jig
- Process features: The FPC is fixed simply to a FR4 material tray, or artificial stone material. Around FPC is high temperature sticker.
- Advantage: low cost, simple operation.
- Disadvantages: Inefficiency, big to tolerance.
Magnetic Jig
- New Technology：Special high temperature resistant magnetized steel plate is adopted to fix FPC by magnetic force to avoid the mechanical damage of traditional fixture.
Advantage：
- High temperature resistant: Can bear 350℃ reflow soldering ，prevent FPC to bow and warp. Most reflow soldering oven used in EMS and PCBA factory operate at 230 to 260 ℃ peak temperature.
- High precision：There are several location salient points in the base tray, which are in the same place of jig and FPC hole. When you put the holes into the salient point, all sheets are in the same place. There will be one magnetic steel cover above, to make all FPC flat. See below pictures from Shenzhen Cirket Electronics company.
- Long working life: Main material is magnetic steel, base tray uses artificial stone.
Disadvantage：
- Original tool cost is higher than traditional, it is better for mass production.
Technic Developing Direction
FPC jig is keep improving, to meet more complicated board mounting. Such as double side mounted FPC, rigid-FPC, and so on. It requires more improved jigs.
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Material should be lighter：Material should be light, strong, and high thermal conductivity.
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More automated: new jig need to be identified by optical、connected with solder paste printer, reduce manual work.
- Cost down: Current jig cost is still high for small quantity PCBA production. Supplier chain is a advantage for Chinese PCBA factory. There are many
solutions can make cost down.
China has the biggest electronics product market, which offered a good chance to Chinese EMS manufacturer or Chinese PCBA factory to improve FPC assembly jig. Shenzhen Cirket Electronics Co.,Ltd has mounted FPC nearly two decades, we have rich experience and will make contribution to FPC mounting jig developing.
