How to optimize PCB panelization for higher results and lower costs? PCB & MCPCB – Best Technology

PCB panelization is an important step in the manufacturing process that directly has an impact on production efficiency, material waste, and overall costs. Poor panel designs can cause lower results, increase memo, and delay in assembly. In this blog, we will explore strategies that can be followed up to optimize PCB panelization for higher results and cost savings.

Why is Panelization Important in Profomminis PCB?

Panelization refers to set several PCB designs to a single manufacturing panel (or “array”) for batch processing. The main benefits include:

• Material waste reduced: Maximizing the use of panel space.
• Faster assembly: activate the automatic pick-and-plate machine to process several boards simultaneously.
• Lower handling costs: fewer individual boards to be managed during manufacturing and assembly.

However, suboptimal panelization can cause:

• Warpage when soldering.
• Score error V or stomach.
• Increased damage during the future.

6 Tips for Optimizing PCB Panelization

Based on our 19+years of experience in the field of PCB manufacturing, today I want to share 6 strategies to optimize PCB panelization

1. Choose the right panel size

• Align the dimensions of your PCB with standard panel sizes (for example, 18 ″ X24 ″, 21 ″ X24 ″) to minimize material pruning.
• Example: If your board is 80mm x 60mm, set 4 × 6 units on the 324mm x 480mm panel to reduce unused space.

2. Optimizing board settings

• Rotation: rotate the rotate to match more units per panel.
• Mirroring: Use a symmetrical design to avoid the gap “in vain”.
• Nesting software: leverage tools such as ” Cam350“To automate the optimal layout making.

3. Choose the best fronting method

The choice of fronting (separating individual boards) affects the quality of the results and edges:

• V-score: low and fast costs, but require a straight edge and can weaken the board.
• Routing Tab: Ideal for irregular shapes but adds milling time.
• Laser cutting: precision for high density design, but higher costs.

Practical Rules: Use a V score for rectangular and stomach boards for complex shapes.

4. Add the Breakaway tab and mouse bite

• Breakaway Tabs: small connectors between boards to prevent movement during assembly.
• Mouse bite: hole hole for easy manual separation.
• Distance: Maintain 1.5â € “2mm between the boards to avoid the polding of the bridge.

5. Combining fiduciary and tool holes

• Add global fiduciary to the panel for accurate alignment during the SMT assembly.
• Include a tool hole (diameter 3.2mm) to secure the panel during drilling and stomach.

6. Quantity of Balance vs Risk

• The density panel increases the risk of cross -board defects.
• Panels that are not utilized increases in material costs.
• Recommended: Purpose for 4â € “20 boards per panel, depending on size and complexity.

Case Study: Cost Savings through Smart Panelization

Consumer electronics producers redesign their 50mm x 50mm IoT module panels:

• Initial design: 8 boards/panels with 15% wasted space.
• Optimized design: 12 boards/panels use layouts that are rotated and shared tool holes.
• Results:
  • 15% reduction in material costs.
  • 10% faster SMT assembly.
  • Less error in front of the front of the routing tab.

General panelization error to avoid

1. Ignoring the manufacturer’s ability: Always consult with the size and tolerance of your PCB FAB panel.
2. Excessive form: Complex panels increase milling time and memo rate.
3. Test coupons pass: including testing patterns for impedance control and quality examination.

Conclusion

Optimizing PCB panelization requires a balance of geometric efficiency, process knowledge, and collaboration with producers. By applying this strategy, you can reduce waste, increase yield, and reduce production costs without reducing quality.

PRO Tips: Use special design rules in panelization in tools such as ” Altium ora Kicad to automate compliance examination.

Also, if you want to know more about how to optimize PCB panelization for higher results and lower costs, don’t hesitate to ask us.

Tag: PCB Panelization