Significance of various types of depaneling in PCB

Depaneling is also known as singulation, printed circuit board, or PCB separation. It is used to remove small and single PCBs from a large PCB depaneling machine with multiple panels during the manufacturing process. Some of the specific processes have been developed to enhance the throughput of PCB lines as the size of the circuit board decreases over time. The stripping process offers several advantages in speed, accuracy, maintenance cost and tooling, no stress induction, and cutting fluid or loss. This article will help you to know about the pcb depaneling methods. Quartz Crystals is also a good component for PCB you can prefer for better results.

What are the different types of depaneling methods in PCB?

The different types of pcb depaneling methods are given by,

Punching/die cutting:

In this method, the singular PCB is punched out of the panel using a unique fixture. This fixture has a sharp blade on one side and support on the other. For each board, different moulds are used and replaced to maintain sharpness. The production cost of this process is relatively high.

V-score:

In the process, the board is scored along the cit line, and the overall thickness of the board is reduced. Additionally, the PCB can be separated from the panel and both sides of the panel using 30% of the total thickness of the board. When the board is populated, it can be separated from the panel.

Pizza cutter/Cutting wheel:

This method is for web destruction when using V-scoring to cut the remaining web. Accuracy is crucial in this method. This is because the V-score and blades have to be carefully positioned. This may ultimately affect some components.

Laser skin peeling:

This PCB laser disassembly is used for boards requiring high durability. This technique is performed without physical contact and is entirely performed using a computer-controlled process. This specific method is used to mount on surface mount technology cables and be installed using surface mount technology cable.

Routing:

Most PCB disassembly devices are routed so that they leave the circuit connected to the panel frame using little tabs that are broken to isolate the circuit. Routing takes up a lot of panel space due to the actual bit width of the curve.

Laser Path:

Laser routing is accomplished using a computer-controlled process without blades or mechanical dies and used for cutting arcs and sharp corners. Moreover, in this method, the cutting width is less than 20 microns, ensuring high accuracy.

High Power CO2 Laser:

CO2 lasers can be cut using FR4, glass fibres, or even other circuits with much higher speed. There is a noticeable thermal effect on the cutting edge of the surface.

Solid-state UV laser:

UV lasers are smaller in size and dissipate less heat. It also has a narrow joint width due to its low energy level. Therefore, the laser cutting speed is slower than the CO2 laser, and the price/watt is also much higher.

UV lasers are ideal for companies that need to dispose of coal and debris. And it is necessary to clean the circuit after synchronization. Because the speed of the laser is higher than the CO2 laser.