#oshstencils

[ambiguousnet]

For making the small modules, solder was stenciled on, the board populated, and then a heat gun used to reflow the solder. OSH Stencils tend to be large and their jigs are too thick. So I am using ‘bad’ unpopulated boards as jigs to stabilize the stencil.

[ambiguousnet]

Organizing components

I am hand assembling my module boards. I sent Gerbers to make stencils from OSH Stencils. They are quick and ship within a day or so. OSH Park is incredibly cheap for my tiny modules, but will take up to two weeks. Castellations from OSH Park come unfinished, so expect to spend some significant time clipping and sanding them.

I wanted to note how I organized assembly. It isn't too interesting, but I think it works well. I have sample books for small components and various sized supposedly ESD safe SMD containers that connect together. My method for organizing is to place the components near similar component types and then by size. So a page of 0201 would go before 0402 sized capacitors. Resistors or inductors would have their own sections.

Larger component cut tapes in quantity or size as well as loose components go in the SMD containers. Here are some of the bigger SMD containers available that still lock together.

Not too difficult, but I also made SMD containers to hold each part in a board's BOM along with their boards (the boards are really tiny). For optional or test parts, they are similar numbered and labeled with only the component name changed. When I build something I cut single components from the sample storage and place them in the BOM container set. I obvious log which optional components go in which build and mark the board. I made the labels with full sheet labels and the BOM orders by running them through Microsoft Publisher as a catalog. I don't think Publisher is well maintained as it is a bit buggy and not too featureful compared to Word. I made the label sizes in Word and them imported them in to Publisher.

A finished BLE 2dB board on a honeycomb soldering pad:

[fyberlabs]

Module boards

Our first batches of boards from OSHPark have arrived along with their stencils from OSH Stencils.