mhoulroyd
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A mistake I've been seeing more frequently is where designers are inverting spring loaded pins into printed circuit boards because they're looking to make a bottom PCB engagement. Although this looks like an innocuous request it is actually fraught with impending disaster. Here is why:
1. Spring pins are precision machined with thin-walled barrels. The action of press-fitting the spring pin into a plated hole could create enough pressure on the thin wall barrel , making it compliant. If the barrel collapses in anyway, the internal piston may find a sticking point when depressed. In short, stuck pins.
2. As usual the case, this will likely occur during the assembly of a very expensive PCB assembly, rendering it worthless scrap.
3. If you need a spring pin to engage from the bottom of the PCB, have your spring pin supplier design a part that is specifically assembled , stress-free, from the bottom side of the PCB.
If you need help with this type of design, let me know.
1. Spring pins are precision machined with thin-walled barrels. The action of press-fitting the spring pin into a plated hole could create enough pressure on the thin wall barrel , making it compliant. If the barrel collapses in anyway, the internal piston may find a sticking point when depressed. In short, stuck pins.
2. As usual the case, this will likely occur during the assembly of a very expensive PCB assembly, rendering it worthless scrap.
3. If you need a spring pin to engage from the bottom of the PCB, have your spring pin supplier design a part that is specifically assembled , stress-free, from the bottom side of the PCB.
If you need help with this type of design, let me know.
