Gel-Flex^TM tooling reduces set up and changeover times

Cookson Electronics to present conformal board support system at SMTAt the upcoming SMT show in Nuremburg, Cookson Electronics Equipment will launch Gel-Flex^TM Tooling, an MPM conformal board support system that, says the company, costs less than traditional board support options, including manually set pins, clamps, custom work holders, and fixed-grid pin tooling systems. In addition, Gel-Flex significantly reduces both initial set-up and board changeover times, particularly for boards with bottom-side components, and will not damage components or leads.“The beauty of this new gel tooling concept lies in its simplicity. Since it does not incorporate pins, there is no reason to be concerned about the location of components or leads on the bottom sides of boards. Gel-Flex uses compressible polyurethane gel support for gentle compliance for components, while providing firm support for the board itself,” comments Dennis O’Neal, director of material deposition products. “The only decision to be made during product set-up is to ensure that support blocks are spread consistently across the board, reducing board set-up and product changeover times to seconds, not minutes.”Stencil printing requires level board support for consistent print results and high yields. Without such support, squeegee pressure across the board will vary and prevent proper gasketing between the stencil and the board, resulting in inconsistent paste deposition, particularly with BGA and fine-pitch devices. Substantial testing has confirmed that Gel-Flex tooling meets these requirements.Source: PCBnewsline