Securing the NANO54415: It's Easier Than You Think
It has come to our attention that some industrial users have reservations regarding the spring retention clips that are used to secure the NANO54415 system on module. Their hesitation springs (see what I did there?) from doubts that the retention clips are sufficient to retain the units out in the field. While we have personally used them in a rocket that experienced 5+ G recovery shocks with no reliability issues, we’re not ones to ignore the concerns of our customers.
As an alternative to mounting the NANO54415 with the spring retention clips, it’s possible to use the mounting holes located on the end of the module with standoffs and screws. Below, we have a mechanical drawing of the NANO54415 with the mounting holes laid out.
The mating connector for the card edge signals will be identical to the one used for the spring clip method, so nothing will need to be changed there. The part number for this component is Molex part number 0679101002 (DigiKey part number WM3471CT-ND).
Each mounting hole will require a 1.6 mm (0.062″) spacer to separate the NANO54415 from the PCB. It will also need a screw to hold it all together. The largest screw that will fit through the mounting holes is 2.5mm (#2-56).
The Nitty-Gritty Details
This can be accomplished in several ways:
- A long #2-56 screw is placed through the bottom of the mounting PCB. Next, a standoff is used to separate the NANO54415 from the PCB. Finally, a long #2-56 nut is used on the top to secure the module. This is shown in the images above.
- Similar to the first option, however, instead of using a standoff as a spacer, you can use a #2-56 nut, which is 0.062″ thick.
- Use a swage type threaded standoff for the spacer and a screw, such as DigiKey part number 36-4860-ND.
- Use a threaded standoff that will be soldered to the mounting PCB. For example, DigiKey part number 732-7068-2-ND is the correct height and is threaded for a 2.5×45 mm screw.
Though we have been delighted with the results of the spring retaining clip, we realize that this method of securing your NANO54415 might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If this happens to be you, we hope that you find one of the above methods helpful in your next embedded system or IoT design. As always, we love hearing feedback from our customers. If you have any comments or questions about the NANO54415 or how to secure it in your own design, give us a shout in the comments below or email us directly at sales@netburner.com.