Background:
We have a couple of small (2"x2" and 2"x3") boards that arrive as pallets (x6 and x4) for surface mount assembly (pictures available upon request).  Since some components are placed too close to the edges for the "pizza cutter" separation machine, the assembly house is separating the boards by hand.  Since the v-scores run the lengths of the boards, I worry that there is too much twisting force applied to the board, risking fracturing of some of the components.  I am considering asking the board fabrication house to route most of the board edges, leaving the v-scores for only a small length at  the PCB corners, maybe 1/4" or so.  I don't want to reduce the stiffness of the pallet too much, making the board difficult to run through the assembly process.  My hope is to simulate the routing and "mouse-bites" type pallet, without having to deal with the ragged protrusions of the left-over "mouse-bite" broken edges.

Question:
Are there guidelines on the limits of structural material required to keep a board stiff enough to avoid irritating my assembly house?

Extra credit question:
Is there something else I should be doing?



Thanks,
Carl



Carl Van Wormer, P.E.
Senior Hardware Engineer
Cipher Systems
1800 NW 169th Place, Suite B-100
Beaverton, OR  97006
Cipher Systems (503) 617-7447   
Direct Line (503) 425-5163
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