{"id":2274,"date":"2026-07-04T06:38:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T22:38:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metalstampingparts.ltd\/?page_id=2274"},"modified":"2026-07-04T06:38:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T22:38:07","slug":"pcb-shield-can-solder-foot-coplanarity-guide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/metalstampingparts.ltd\/pcb-shield-can-solder-foot-coplanarity-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"PCB Shield Can Solder Foot Coplanarity Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Short answer:<\/strong> PCB shield cans and EMI frames should be quoted with solder foot coplanarity, not only outline size. The RFQ should define solder feet, flatness, burr direction, plating, vent or drain features, packaging orientation, inspection fixture, sample condition, and whether the shield is checked free-state, seated on a PCB, or restrained in a nest.<\/p>\n

A stamped shield can can look acceptable as a loose part and still fail on the SMT line. Lifted feet, twisted frames, burrs, oil residue, poor venting, or tray deformation can create solder skips, tombstoned corners, poor grounding, or rework around sensitive electronics.<\/p>\n

Use this page with the EMI shielding stamped parts guide<\/a>, electrical connector shield stamping guide<\/a>, stamped part coplanarity guide<\/a>, and flatness and warpage control guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Shield can details that affect solder yield<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Detail<\/th>\nWhy it matters<\/th>\nRFQ information<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Solder feet<\/td>\nThe feet decide whether the shield sits flat and solders evenly.<\/td>\nFoot count, width, pitch, seating plane, and allowed gap.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Burr direction<\/td>\nA burr toward the PCB can hold the foot off the pad or trap flux residue.<\/td>\nBurr side, edge break, and inspection location.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vents and openings<\/td>\nClosed cavities can trap heat, flux vapor, or cleaning fluid.<\/td>\nVent holes, drain slots, keep-out zones, and cosmetic limits.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Packaging<\/td>\nThin shields can distort in bulk bags or wrong tray cavities.<\/td>\nTray, tape, reel, nesting rule, orientation, and stack height.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Define the inspection condition<\/h2>\n

Coplanarity should be measured in a condition that matches the assembly. A shield can checked upside down on a flat plate may not represent how it seats on solder paste, a PCB land pattern, or a production nest. If the shield is flexible, the drawing should say whether inspection is free-state or lightly restrained.<\/p>\n

For small shields, a simple caliper check is rarely enough. The supplier may need a flatness fixture, optical comparator, height gauge, CMM, vision check, or functional seating gauge. Connect the plan to the datum and functional gage guide<\/a> when the seating plane is more important than isolated dimensions.<\/p>\n

If the shield is already causing SMT defects, include actual line feedback in the RFQ package. Photos of lifted corners, poor solder wetting, paste squeeze-out, tray damage, or rework locations help the supplier separate a stamping geometry issue from a board design, paste, oven, or handling issue.<\/p>\n

Control forming, plating, and handling<\/h2>\n

Shield cans often use thin stainless steel, nickel silver, copper alloy, or plated steel. Forming strain, springback, carrier cutoff, and plating can change the feet. If the shield has removable lids, tabs, dimples, or grounding fingers, each feature may pull the frame out of plane.<\/p>\n

Handling after stamping matters. A clean part can become distorted or contaminated during plating, washing, tray loading, or shipment. If soldering is critical, review this page with the solderability test guide<\/a> and the cleanliness control guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RFQ details to include<\/h2>\n