Filling in a hole...

[Glenn Gordon]

I am working on a product design where the product will have one of two PCB designs installed in it.

One of the PCBs has an RJ-45 jack on it, the other doesn't. If the non-RJ-45 PCB is used, there will be a hole at the back of the product that would need to be closed.

Is there an off the shelf PCB mountable product that could close up the hole on the non-RJ-45 version of the PCB?

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[VEBill]

Some consumer products packaged in a plastic housing have molded-in punch-outs for the connectors. The punch-outs are not punched-out for the unused positions. A really common example might be found in your desk telephone (YMMV). I've seen a telephone with about a half-dozen positions, with only two punched-out and populated. The remaining had only the molded-in breakaway lines showing.

If it has to be a soldered-in component, then perhaps a little custom metal stamping to form a plate blocking the hole.

Next option might be a rectangular plastic plug.

 

[Glenn Gordon]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, the breakaway on the plastic housing, or a knockout on the metal plate are both options as well. Our manufacturing engineers are griping about those options though. They would rather see the difference between the two product versions limited to just a PCB change rather than other parts or configurations... even on the line at point of assembly.

Thanks again!

 

[IRstuff]

Seriously? Your production guys would rather inventory and install extra components at extra cost rather than a box with punchouts?

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[3DDave]

Solutions I've seen include a plastic label plate that only has the opening when the option is ordered. It will also include the model and serial number and any labels for external connections, knocking out a number of functions with one part. I've also seen snap in covers, which are pretty cheap. Less frequently I've seen a custom molded part that is heat staked from inside the housing, which makes for a very neat solution; I expect the housing are ordered that way from a supplier under a number that is different from the ones without the cover.

I can see where knock-outs are a pain on the production floor. They need to pry out the right one (s) and there's dealing with the little scrap bits and they may not break out cleanly, damaging the housing.

I don't recall ever seeing a blanking part on a circuit board, though nothing is impossible.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Put the jack in both boards.
It's cheaper than any custom part.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[itsmoked]

Put the jack in both boards.

Then add a blanking plug in the unsupported jack. Exactly what the cheapskates at HP do.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[Glenn Gordon]

I'm putting all of these options on the table at this point in hopes that someone makes the intelligent decision.

Thanks again!

Glenn