Compufab has developed The Universal Stiffener™, an aluminum bar which can function as a mechanical PCB stiffener, a heat transfer device or an electrical bus bar.  The Universal Stiffener™ fastens to a PCB with machine screws or rivets anywhere along the length of the bar.  Compufab's PCB stiffener is a lower cost alternative to machined fiberglass or machined metal PCB stiffeners.

Most PCB stiffeners are constructed with a rectangular bar with drilled and tapped holes.  Drilling and tapping holes in a bar is expensive.

Compufab has reduced this expense with the design of an ingenious bar shape as a PCB stiffener that will accept a screw or rivet anywhere along its length.  Experience has shown that most existing PCB designs using board stiffeners or bus bars can adopt this unique PCB stiffener with no changes.

Why use a PCB Stiffener?

• Reduce warp and bow when handling a large PCB or a large panel of miniature PCBs for scoring.
• Eliminate dangerous deflection due to vibration and bending.
• Assure good guidance of a PCB into its backplane connector.

Advantages which may improve your design:

• Same bar will mount on PCB's with different hole locations.
• Eliminate close tolerances between mounting holes on PCB's.
• In most cases, the PCB stiffener will occupy less precious real estate on the board.
• Can be mounted over insulated spacers to clear copper traces or wire adds.
• Can be anodized different colors for coding.
• Ideal PCB label area, when used on rear edge of the PCB.
• Strong and light-weight.
• Clean, professional appearance.
• Rivet mounting reduces assembly time.
• Can also be used as a heat sink or power/ground bus.  (Use metal spacers and washers)

Contact us for a free sample of our PCB stiffeners.