Securing fans to a SMPS PCB?

[cupoftea]

Going to have quite a few (seven) of these cheap 0.4W fans spread around our prototype 2kW offline PFC/LLC converter PCB...

12V fan 0.4w
https://www.tme.eu/Document/155940d94fffd4dbb8a29e964554b703/Product 21.pdf

Will “strap” them to the PCB with 0.4mm enamelled copper wire. This will be threaded through the lower two holes in the fan, and thru corresponding NPTH holes in the PCB that line up with these (so 4 NPTH holes in the PCB per fan)…..tie/twist the wire at the bottom of the PCB…then add tough nylon string to add to this….do you think this will offer enough support to stop the fans from blowing over?

"Fan footprint", showing 4 holes, as attached

 

[wwfeldman]

….do you think this will offer enough support to stop the fans from blowing over?

i am disinclined to mount fan differently from manufacturer's method -
4 screws through 4 mounting holes in corners, per page 6 of 14 of spec sheet.

i expect the copper wire and nylon string you want to mount them with will
eventually break.

you only need 1 to break in use by your customer to destroy your reputation

 

[barry]

You've got mounting holes in the fan. You've got mounting holes in the PCB. Why, using the brain that God presumably gave you, would you NOT use screws???????

 

[cupoftea]

Thanks, this is prototype only.....if we use screws then we need right angle brackets aswell......do you think that cable ties will hold it....?

 

[wwfeldman]

if it really is "only a prototype", why are you asking for permission
to mount the fan whatever quick and dirty way you want?

use the right angle bracket and the screws the manufacturer recommends
this puts you one step closer toward the final product

 

[barry]

if we use screws then we need right angle brackets aswell

So? Buy some brackets.

 

[cupoftea]

yes, i see your point...though this is an totally unpayed prototype........if they like it they'll pay for further development.....so i dont want to pay till then. Most probably, they wont buy it...theyll get their Chinese partner to do it. If i can do it with cable ties, then that will do at least for now.

 

[barry]

yes, i see your point...though this is an totally unpayed prototype........if they like it they'll pay for further development.....so i dont want to pay till then. Most probably, they wont buy it...theyll get their Chinese partner to do it. If i can do it with cable ties, then that will do at least for now.

Why would somebody like a prototype that was put together with tiewraps and string when it could have been done professionally with proper, INEXPENSIVE hardware? Of course they won't buy it; it's going to look like a piece of junk.

 

[cupoftea]

True yes, though my apologies as i should have explained out....these guys are engineers themselves and will know how to mount fans proper etc...all they want to see is 180V at 2kW into a dummy load with PFC, and they're happy......they'll probz just take it on themselves after that anyway......all the heatsinking and packaging will need re-doing, as its just an open pcb, with no air channeling etc.........the daughter boarding will have to be rationalised....its specifically been done so its quick-as-poss to test and bring up...thats it........the PFC inductors were what was in stock now, rather than the ones which would be smaller and do the job (they werent available for me).