Soldering Jigs, Assembly Fixtures and Routing Frames
Alongside solder pallets, the other large tooling group on a production line is fixtures – jigs. They hold the part in place during hand soldering, assembly, screwing or testing, and make sure every unit is built the same way.
We design and manufacture custom fixtures, from a simple support nest up to multi-level, pneumatically operated stations.
Hand soldering jigs
A hand soldering jig holds the PCB flat and free of stress while the operator solders the remaining components. The underside of the board is supported by spring pins or a machined nest, so that pressure does not bend the circuit board.
- Contour-following nest that clears the populated components
- Spring support pins to protect sensitive areas
- ESD-safe materials where electrostatic protection is required
- Multiple boards held at once, if the workplace layout calls for it
Assembly and screwing fixtures
An assembly fixture positions parts relative to each other, so the sequence of assembly and the finished result are identical on every unit. We build them on aluminium profile frames, which keeps the fixture extendable later and adaptable to the workplace.
On request we build them with toggle clamps, pneumatic cylinders, rotating or tilting clamping, and sensors. On multi-level stations we also take working height and operator ergonomics into account at the design stage.
Routing frames
A routing frame holds the PCB during depanelling, when the panel is separated by milling. Its job is to stop the panel moving during machining and to keep the separated pieces in place until the operator takes them out.
We design the frame around the clamping of your routing machine and the contour of the panel, and choose the clamping method to suit board stiffness and how densely it is populated.
Support tooling for stencil printing
In stencil printing, the quality of support directly determines the quality of paste deposition. We manufacture aluminium and composite support blocks with 3D machined contour nests, with vacuum channels where required.
Blocks are modelled from the geometry of the underside of the board, so that already populated components have clearance while the board stays supported across its full area.
Materials we work with
Data sheets are available for download:
Frequently asked questions
Can you build ESD-safe fixtures?
Yes. Where electrostatic protection is required we use ESD-grade materials – for example Docacetal ESD (POM-C) – and also handle the earthing of metal parts. Please state the ESD requirement when you request a quote.
Can the fixture be pneumatically operated?
It can. We build fixtures with pneumatic cylinders, two-hand start and sensors. For the pneumatic connection, please give us the parameters of your available compressed air supply.
What do you need to quote a fixture?
The 3D model or drawing of the product, a description of the assembly operation, and workplace data (bench height, available compressed air, ESD requirement). A photo of a similar fixture you already use helps a lot too.
Request a quote
Send us the drawing or the PCB data and we will come back to you within one working day with pricing and lead time.
