Printed Circuit Board Stiffeners

Do you work with large profile PCB’s?  Do you work with thin PCB’s?  As the size increases, the printed circuit board can have issues with warp and bow creating challenges during assembly.  Handling can be an issue with thin boards.  If either of these issues sound like familiar struggles, check out  the new product we are working with;  “The Universal Stiffener”.  

Typical PCB stiffeners are constructed with a rectangular bar with drilled holes.  But, that process can be expensive.  The Universal Stiffener reduces this expense with the design of an ingenious bar shape that will accept a screw anywhere along its length.  (They say a picture is worth 1,000 words so please see the attached picture.)

There is no need for a custom stiffener and the universal stiffener can be used with the existing tooling holes on your PCB.  There is no need to customize, you can adopt the new stiffener with no changes.

In addition to saving cost on the stiffener, there are a number of other benefits:

  • The same bar will mount on PCB’s with different hole locations
  • Eliminate close tolerances between mounting holes
  • In most cases, the stiffener will occupy less PCB precious real estate
  • Easy to install, no special tools required
  • Can be mounted over insulated spaces to clear copper traces or wire adds
  • Can be anodized different colors for coding
  • Ideal PCB label area, when used on rear edge of PCB
  • Strong and light-weight
  • Can also be used as a heat sink or power/ground bus (use metal spacers and washers)

The Universal Stiffener comes in standard sizes and can be customized to the length you need.  The manufacturer is happy to provide samples and offer engineering advice to make sure the stiffener ordered is the best fit for you needs.  Check them out!   THE UNIVERSAL STIFFENERImageImage