Is there anything like spring steel hold-down probes to help with SMT assembly?

Does anyone know of if something exists like hold-down probes made of spring steel or piano wire, that would be small enough to hold down a component or package while soldering (without gluing it?) and thin enough to not get in the way of soldering small resistors or diodes?

PCB Assembly
November 22, 2023

If you want space assembly of parts, which is called dead bug assembly, the following tips may be helpful for you to make a prototype.

Used a scrap of cardboard from a cereal box at times. Glue the larger part(s) down with something fast-drying, then use fine wire to connect the smaller parts. Magnet wire or wire wrapping wire is good for interconnections, especially in the field of handmade telecom PCB prototypes.

Don’t forget to check whether the glue causes a short circuit.

Oliver Smith

Oliver is an experienced electronics engineer skilled in PCB design, analog circuits, embedded systems, and prototyping. His deep knowledge spans schematic capture, firmware coding, simulation, layout, testing, and troubleshooting. Oliver excels at taking projects from concept to mass production using his electrical design talents and mechanical aptitude.

Oliver Smith

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