On modern automated electronics manufacturing lines, every flawless printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) is supported by a group of unseen “behind-the-scenes heroes” — jigs and fixtures. They may not attract as much attention as high-speed pick-and-place machines, but they are an indispensable bridge between design and large-scale, high-quality production.
Today, we will take a closer look at how these precision tools, custom-designed for each project, ensure accuracy, enhance efficiency, and build the reliability of the final product in PCBA manufacturing.
1. What is tooling?
In PCBA manufacturing, tooling is a general term referring to tools specifically designed and fabricated to facilitate production, testing, or inspection in accordance with the shape, dimensions, and requirements of a particular product.
Fixtures are more focused on “holding and securing,” for example, firmly fixing the printed circuit board during soldering.
Jigs are more focused on “guiding and checking,” such as directing a tool or verifying the product’s functionality.
In everyday communication, we usually use the general term “tooling.” It forms the foundation for achieving automation, standardization, and high-quality manufacturing.
2. Retention and protection: the “guardians” of process stability
In high-temperature, high-speed automated processes, the top priority is to ensure the safe and smooth handling of sensitive PCBAs.
Solder Pallets / Carriers: This is the most common type of tooling. For ultra-thin, irregularly shaped, or long printed circuit boards, passing through a reflow or wave soldering oven at temperatures above 250 °C without special support will almost certainly cause deformation. Our engineers use heat-resistant composite materials to design specialized pallets for each of your non-standard boards, ensuring absolute flatness at high temperatures.
Selective Soldering Fixtures: In mixed-technology assembly, tooling can also serve as a “shield.” It can precisely mask already-mounted SMT components, protecting them from exposure to the high-temperature solder wave in subsequent soldering processes.
3. Precision and Efficiency: the “accelerators” of the manufacturing process
Another key role of tooling is to make complex, manual, or high-precision operations simple and repeatable.
FPC Mounting Jig: Flexible printed circuits (FPCs) are inherently soft and cannot be directly used for solder paste application or SMT assembly. We must first securely fix the FPC onto a special jig, temporarily turning it into a “rigid” board, to ensure assembly accuracy on the automated line.
Press-fit & Assembly Jig: When installing connectors that require significant press-fit force, or during the final product assembly, specialized tooling ensures that the force, position, and angle of each operation are absolutely consistent, preventing product damage caused by human error.
4. Quality and Verification: the “examiners” of product functionality
Test fixtures are a critical link in the quality control system, responsible for verifying the operability of every PCBA.
Functional Test Fixture (FCT Jig): This is the most technologically sophisticated type of fixture. Based on your product’s functional requirements, our test engineers design a test station equipped with numerous pogo pins. When the PCBA is placed onto the fixture, the pins make precise contact with the board’s test points, automatically simulating the product’s actual operating environment by:
Supplying power
Sending control commands
Measuring output voltage, current, and signal waveforms
Checking LEDs, buzzers, and other indicators
The entire testing process is completed within seconds, ensuring that every board delivered to you is 100% functionally reliable.
Programming Jig: For products that require firmware pre-installation, we also use programming fixtures for efficient, large-scale programming — essentially “breathing life” into the hardware.
Advantages of Kingda: Comprehensive Solutions from DFM to Specialized Fixtures
At Kingda, we deeply understand the critical value of jigs and fixtures in high-tech electronics manufacturing. We don’t just assemble printed circuit boards for you — we:
Think of you from the very beginning of design: Our DFM (Design for Manufacturability) service allows us to plan key test points and tooling reference marks in advance, which greatly simplifies the subsequent fixture design process.
In-house fixture design and manufacturing: We have our own dedicated fixture design and manufacturing team, capable of quickly and accurately creating the most efficient and reliable production and testing fixtures for each of your projects.
Comprehensive testing solutions: We can provide a complete set of testing solutions for your product — from ICT, AOI, and X-ray inspection to FCT — with the custom-designed FCT fixture being the core of it all.
In conclusion, advanced technological fixtures are the bridge connecting precision design with reliable mass production. They reflect the expertise, engineering capability, and commitment to quality of an EMS provider.
Entrust your complex projects to experts who know how to guarantee quality
Are you looking for a manufacturing partner who can not only produce, but also design and implement comprehensive quality assurance solutions for you?
Contact us to discuss your project needs. Let us show you how our professional fixtures and testing solutions will ensure the success of your product.
