>I can't think of a production facility that still saws boards, and
>mechanical shears would require large unpopulated sections for the tooling.
>Just doesn't make sense.
>Sounds like it would be a neat idea for low-to-mid volume assembly though-
>perhaps router-cutting stuffed boards - is that what you are referring to?.
>Are there any articles around that show how this process might actually
work
>effectively? I would love to get up to speed. My experience in
manufacturing
>goes back to the '70's and could use some updating.

I think if you look at photographs of SMT stuffing machines you will find
that the panels are multiple boards, waiting to be broken apart after
soldering. I believe grooves are routed or sawn in the PCB as part of the
PCB manufacture process allowing the boards to be broken apart after
stuffing, in the manner you describe. I have handled fibreglass PCB's where
there are little rough bits where this has obviously happened.

For an SMT machine it makes sense to have large panels as these stuff the
boards that fast any stop time due to changing the panel becomes a
significant portion of the operating time.

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