Additive Manufacturing of PCB Pallets Using Coalescing Agent

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional printed circuit board (PCB) pallets are prone to rapid wear and tear due to cyclic heat from soldering, impact, and chemical exposure, leading to high replacement costs and long production lead times.

Innovation Solution

An on-demand additive manufacturing process is used to build PCB pallets, involving the application of a coalescing agent and polymer powder onto an inorganic sheet stock, followed by heating to fuse the polymer, allowing for rapid production and repair of pallets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional hand lay-up process is used to make PCB pallets, then the pallets can be manufactured with required structural integrity, but the production time is long (multiweek turnaround)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction timeVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the conventional mechanical hand lay-up process and CNC cutting system with an additive manufacturing process that uses a printing-type process to deposit polymer powder onto inorganic sheet stock. This substitution of mechanical manufacturing methods with additive manufacturing dramatically reduces production time from weeks to days while maintaining the required structural integrity of the pallets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the manufacturing parameters by using an additive process that builds pallets layer by layer through selective deposition and fusion of polymer powder. This parameter change from subtractive (CNC cutting) and manual assembly methods to additive manufacturing enables faster production while reducing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If PCB pallets are made to be highly specialized for each particular PCB, then they can provide precise templates for specific PCB layouts, but the replacement time increases when pallets wear down

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespecialization for specific PCBVSAvoidreplacement time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The additive manufacturing process allows pallets to be produced on-demand based on specific PCB layout requirements. The process can quickly adapt to create specialized pallets with precise hole patterns and structural features tailored to each PCB design, eliminating the need for long lead times associated with conventional specialized manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The printing-type process creates precise copies of the required PCB template patterns by selectively depositing polymer material according to digital design data. This copying approach enables rapid production of specialized pallets that exactly match specific PCB layouts without requiring complex manual fabrication for each unique design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If conventional manufacturing methods are used, then the pallets can be made with required durability for harsh environment, but the cost and time for replacement are high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedurability in harsh environmentVSAvoidreplacement frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The additive manufacturing process produces pallets with required durability for harsh soldering environments while significantly reducing production time. The fused polymer structure achieves comparable or superior durability to conventional methods, and the on-demand production capability reduces replacement frequency by enabling rapid manufacturing of replacement pallets when wear occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method significantly reduces production time from weeks to days, decreases CNC time, and lowers costs, ensuring shorter lead times for PCB manufacturing and minimizing the risk of manufacturing line shutdowns.

Implementation Method 1

the fluid is a coalescing agent comprising monomers or oligomers of the polymer powder

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCoalescing: Coagulation

Implementation Method 2

The pallet is then put under pressure and heated to fuse the polymer powder to form the completed final PCB pallet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

heated to fuse the polymer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFusion: Melting

Implementation Method 4

The pallet is then put under pressure and heated to fuse the polymer powder

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP3574727B1On-demand method of making PCB pallets using additive manufacturing

Publication Date: 2025.06.04 JABIL INC

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AI summary

A method of making a printed circuit board pallet is provided. The method of making the pallet illustratively includes the steps of: providing a base in a form of a polymer sheet stock; applying a fluid onto the base at selective locations where the pallet will be built-up to a three-dimensional form; depositing a polymer powder onto the base at the selective locations applied with the fluid; removing any excess amounts of the polymer powder not adhered to the fluid; and heating the pallet to fuse the polymer powder together and to the base.