Created design for the aligner board and sent to fab

 DESIGN DECISION REFINEMENT

My original design for the aligner board was to have truncated pyramid shaped openings that would gently bend the various lamp assemblies into alignment as it was slid down to contact the face of the PCB. However, since the aligner is placed on the PCB while it is laying upright in front of the maintainer, it did not have to accomplish the bending.

Instead, the person putting the boards together can touch and move various lamp assemblies as needed while the aligner is tilted into place, first working on one edge then tilting the aligner board increasingly parallel to the PCB as it engages more lamp assemblies. A pencil eraser or similar tool is all that would be needed to move the errant lamps into position, column by column. 

This greatly simplifies the production of the aligner board, since a simple rectangular opening is all that we need. No bevel cuts or sloped cutting/adding are required. 

CHOICE OF MANUFACTURING METHOD

Based on the relaxed design approach, I decided that laser cutting was the right choice for me. The material had to be around 1/2 " thick to provide enough alignment for the assemblies, not extremely hard but not so soft that the lamps flop over out of alignment. 

DREW UP DESIGN IN INKSCAPE

I drew the laser cutting paths using Inkscape, duplicating the board since my template was large enough to produce two copies of the part. I can send the other copy to the museum that is replicating my lamp system for use in the 1130 they are restoring. 

Laser cutting pattern

SENT TO PONOKO.COM FAB FOR LASER CUTTING

I chose one day manufacturing and overnight delivery since the total cost was very reasonable. I picked a 1/2" polyurethane foam for the material, which I hope will be stiff enough to maintain the alignment. We will see when it arrives, then at worst case change the material and send the job off again to the fab.