Selective Solder Pallet Manufacturing
A selective solder pallet is the answer when only a few points on the board need soldering and everything else has to stay protected throughout. The openings in the pallet line up exactly with the joints where the solder wave or the selective soldering nozzle has to reach the PCB.
Two things decide how well a selective pallet works: the geometry of the openings and the thermal behaviour of the pallet. We derive both from your PCB data and your soldering parameters.
Openings and masking
Each opening is just large enough for the solder to reach the joint, but not so large that it spreads onto neighbouring surfaces. We machine the opening walls so that solder does not stick to them and cleaning the pallet stays straightforward.
- Custom opening geometry derived from your PCB data
- Masking of populated SMD components and connectors
- Reinforced or titanium-insert ribs where opening density is high
- Multi-nest layouts for running several boards at once
Thermal load and service life
Selective pallets wear faster than open ones because the ribs between the small openings are thin, and heat is concentrated on them. We therefore make ribs thicker where the load is highest, and design the stiffening so that it does not draw heat away from the solder joint unnecessarily.
Where opening size means a composite rib will no longer last, we build titanium inserts into the critical areas. There is more about this on our titanium insert pallets page.
Material selection
For selective pallets we most often use Durostone and Ricocel composites. Where mechanical load is higher or ESD requirements are stricter, Contaval, Docapeek or ESD Docacetal may also be appropriate. We always recommend a material for your specific application – data sheets are available below.
Materials we work with
Data sheets are available for download:
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a wave and a selective solder pallet?
A wave solder pallet has larger, continuous openings and leaves much of the underside of the board exposed. A selective pallet has many small, precisely positioned openings, and most of the surface stays masked.
Can one pallet run several different products?
Yes, where board geometry allows it. In that case we design a shared base body with interchangeable inserts. Send us the data of the boards and we will check whether a common pallet is feasible.
Do you make pallets for Ersa, Pillarhouse or other selective machines?
Pallets are always designed around the clamping and conveyor data of the specific machine, so the make of the equipment is not a limitation. Please state the machine type when you request a quote.
Request a quote
Send us the drawing or the PCB data and we will come back to you within one working day with pricing and lead time.
