WS2812 LED Solder Jig for round 9mm SMD using 24 AWG Magnet Enamel Wire

This is a jig that can be used when soldering round SMD mounted WS2812 LED using 24 AWG Magnet Enamel Wire

I created this jig to assist me in soldering magnet wire to pre-populated WS2812 LED assemblies.  

• The jig will hold the LED in the correct orientation with space for the capacitor and resistor that typically are mounted on these small boards.  
• If your LED is mounted to the board crooked, it will cause the pads to rotate slightly due to the way the jig is designed.  If this happens, simply lift the LED and rotate slightly, but don't try to push down into the jig as this could cause damage to the LED.  
• The end of the jig has a cutout that allows you to see if the LED is aligned in the channel and can also be used to pop the LED out when done soldering.

This design assumes the following:

• You are using 24 AWG enamel coated magnet wire that measures ~0.5mm. 
• You are using 9mm round LED assemblies that have been filed so that the profile is smooth.  The LED will not seat if the assembly is not round.  
• You have a well calibrated printer - you have adjusted your bed leveling, flow settings and e-steps

Suggested print settings:

• 0.4mm nozzle or smaller
• 0.1mm - 0.16mm layer height - The lower the layer height the more constant the wire channels will be.

After printing, I would suggest using an Exacto to clear the channels for the wires, slightly tilting the blade as you go down the channel.  This will help to form a “V” shape in the channel, resulting in easier insertion.  In the future I will adjust the design to have a semi closed top so that the wires do not come up through the slot, but for now it works well if the wire is straight. 

Prior to soldering, be sure to flux and tin your pads as well as ensure you have removed the enamel from the magnet wire and the wire tip is tinned.  When soldering, be sure that you minimize the contact time with the LED to ensure you do not damage the LED.

The design is made in FreeCAD and can be remixed to suit your needs.  

In the future I will be adding other variations to allow for other wire sizes and LED types (4 wire vs the current 3 wire).

Please let me know of any suggestion you might have for improvement.