I’m currently working on a more complex project that uses double sided assembly (and a weird USB-C connector). To practice these things a little, I ordered some low cost boards to get used to that connector and explore double sided reflow (which seems easier than I expected).

For those who are interested, this is a reference design from framework computer for their expansion card system. It can be programmed with circuitpython or Arduino and utilises a SAMD21 microcontroller.

I created a little shelf-city over time that is connected with a monorail line.

Say hello to Trixie :). She’s around eight years old and got here as a young kitten after being left in a cardboard box on the side of the road and my ex-girlfriend brought her here. Girlfriend of that time left, Trixie stayed and lives here since then.

Hello :). I have some of these Molex 1054440011 USB-C edge connectors/plugs of that I somehow don’t know what’s the best way to assemble them onto my PCB.

I have the pads (standard layout from the datasheet drawing) exposed on the stencil but the pins push the paste away a little so I had quite an amount of solder bridges to rework after reflowing them. Could probably a little less solder paste (so smaller openings) and/or differently shaped stencil openings help? Also there are pins (and other components) on the backside so it’s difficult to apply paste accurately on both sides. The pins are additionally a little weirdly shaped (they bend upwards at the ends so it’s easier to push the PCB between the pins) what makes them less accessible with a soldering iron and the 0.5mm pitch doesn’t make things easier. At least the tension of the pins holds the connector in place while reflowing.

This specific one will primarily only be a one (or two)-off prototype board so I could life with some reworking but maybe someone around here has experience with these things. I also wondered how something like that would be assembled in a larger scale, the pins hold the PCB quite tight between them, I can’t imagine a pick-and-place machine could handle that.

Thanks for reading this post and maybe you have some answers :).