[sdiy] Front panel and PCB design tactics

[rsdio at audiobanshee.com]

On Apr 26, 2015, at 4:03 AM, Ingo Debus <igg.debus at t-online.de> wrote:
> Am 26.04.2015 um 09:20 schrieb rsdio at audiobanshee.com:
>> I almost always select SMD components that have a PCB fixing post. This doesn't prevent the part from being lifted directly away (perpendicular) from the PCB, but it does provide relief against pressure in other directions. The 3.5 mm jack that I found from Switchcraft is horizontally mounted, and has two fixing posts, meaning that inserting a jack would be pressing against these posts instead of just relying upon the SMD pads.
> 
> But does this help a lot? There are always tolerances, in the diameter of the posts, in their distance, and last not least in the diameter of the holes in the PCB. So you have to make the holes wider than the nominal diameter of the posts. When the jack is soldered to the PCB, it's likely the the solder joints have to take all the force and not the posts.

Good point. Now that I think about it, the first time someone suggested screwing PCB-mount hardware to a face plate, I was very concerned about torque stress - and this was with through-hole! I seem to have forgotten my former concerns. I think I'll heed the advice here and change to through-hole. My other products have a mix of SMD (only package available) and through-hole (USB jack), so at least I'm used to the cost.

Brian