VBA Example

To show how some of our design tools are used in practice we can watch the development of an open aperture carrier.

We use a VBA macro to automatically generate an optimum profile around the PCB. This Aperture profile must hold the PCB as closely as possible but not so close that the PCB will buckle due to thermal expansion in the wave. GlobalDatum have incorporated design rules into the macro which automatically detect (from the PCB size) when the allowance around the PCB has to be increased.

Fixings ,fixing pockets and component cut outs are dynamically added by the designer.

The completed single aperture is now virtually machined on screen. All edges are chamfered to allow the PCB to be quickly inserted and to create the most ergonomic carrier possible for your workforce.

The aperture is now merged and repeated into an automatically generated wave solder carrier.

The final design is emailed to you for your approval.

The carrier is then “toolpathed” and all of the necessary CNC code is generated directly from our AlphaCAM Systems.

This code is sent to our Fadal vertical machining centres which produce the carrier using high speed spindles,
running custom solid diamond tooling, on in house developed vacuum tables.

These machines are identical in all our locations around the world, and incorporate tool and table probing to
ensure continuous accuracy.