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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Eszett on Sat, 03 July 2021, 20:19:48

Title: How to fasten floating PCB?
Post by: Eszett on Sat, 03 July 2021, 20:19:48
My PCB is floating in a sandwich caseing (self-made build) ... how do I actually fasten the PCB? Usually it's kept in place by the solder joings of the switches, but I use Kailh hot swap sockets, so not even solder joints there! Any ideas?
Title: Re: How to fasten floating PCB?
Post by: MIGHTY CHICKEN on Sat, 03 July 2021, 21:04:26
You usually would either have some kinda of screw through the pcb attaching it to the case in a sandwhich fashion, kinda like the ut47.2, but in some other cases you would just pray it doesn't fall out
Title: Re: How to fasten floating PCB?
Post by: Tom_Kazansky on Sat, 03 July 2021, 21:54:46
I would do it like this:

[attachimg=1]

but it requires your plate and pcb to have appropriate holes.
also because plate has 1.5mm thickness, the standoff would be 3.5mm long, this might be hard to find.
Title: Re: How to fasten floating PCB?
Post by: Leslieann on Sun, 04 July 2021, 03:37:01
The easiest way is just use some foam under it top press it up to the switches.

You will need to take it apart to insert switches (usually) but that's not really a bad thing as it prevents damage to the pcb and swaps and I'm surprised more manufacturers aren't recommending that.
Title: Re: How to fasten floating PCB?
Post by: Eszett on Sun, 04 July 2021, 08:15:24
Kazansky,  :thumb: ye looks clean. It has the striking advantage that the space betw. plate and PCB is invariant and exactly 3.5mm (if plate is 1.5). And who works with acrylic layers knows that the thickness variance drives crazy. I have M3 Nylon spacers about 10mm long, just have to cut them down to 3.5mm.
Title: Re: How to fasten floating PCB?
Post by: nevin on Mon, 05 July 2021, 09:29:26
just make sure there's support under the sockets (between the sockets and the bottom of the case). either that the sockets rest on a layer or use some stiff foam or even paper to make up the difference. so you're not stressing the socket connections on the pcb.