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PCB Board Retainers, Card-Loks & Wedge-Loks

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Positive Retraction Card-Lok
For reliable 2nd Level Maintenance
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Board Retainers and Extractors

Proven Solutions for PCB Board Retention and Extraction
 

For over 40 years, nVent SCHROFF’s Calmark and Birtcher product lines have been the industry leader in PCB board retention and extraction. Trusted by the world’s largest prime Military and Aerospace companies by providing rugged, tried and tested high performance solutions. Manufactured in an AS9110D compliant facility, to ensure MIL standard level quality.

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Expert Guidance

Our experienced engineers offer personalized consultations to deliver the best solutions for your unique needs.

Seamless Integration

Our products are designed to be compatible with your existing systems, making installation and upgrades effortless.

Innovative Prototypes

With access to CAD templates and 3D printed prototypes, you can visualize and refine your components before production.

Quality Assurance

Manufactured in an AS9100D compliant facility, our commitment to quality ensures reliability and performance in critical applications.




Product Lines

 

Card-Loks and Wedge-Loks

Key Benefits

  • Designs for second level maintenance including torque limiting, toolless, and positive retraction Card-Loks 
  • Innovative high thermal and clamp force designs for best in class performance 
  • Standard COTS or modified products to meet application requirements

Key Features

  • Shafted, Non-shafted, Sawtooth designs 
  • Finishes in gold chem film, clear chem film, black anodized, hard black anodized or electroless nickel plating  

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Inserters, Extractors, Levers, and Ejectors

Key Benefits

  • Designs to ensure safe card extraction for rugged applications
  • Tolerance compensating designed offering to mitigate board tolerance concerns and satisfy 2nd Level Maintenance requirements 

Key Features

  • Aluminum and nylon offing
  • Compliant to MIL standards, including VITA 48.4 and 48.2 

 

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PCB Tainers, Retainers, and Card Guides

Key Benefits

  • Economical offering to retain PCB's in sheet metal applications
  • For low shock and vibration applications
  • Metal Tainers provide positive spring pressure to retain and/or ground the PCB 

Key Features

  • Designed for sheet metal or cold wall applications 
  • Nylon card guide products available for applications where resistance to akalines, weak acids or solvents is required 

 

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Conduction Cooled Assemblies and Modules

Key Benefits

  • VITA Compliant Conduction Cooled Assemblies with high performance cooling for severe environments
  • Manage all components under a single SKU
  • Downloadable VITA compliant CAD templates available
  • Pre-assembly and kitting available 

 

Key Features

  • Conduction frames available in 3U and 6U  
  • Available in black anodize, chem film, or electroless nickel plating for excellent corrosion resistance
  • 6061-T651 aluminum for high thermal conductivity and lightweight support

 

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Conduction Cooled Assembly Keying

Key Benefits

  • For conduction cooled modules used in military and ruggedized systems that do not use front panel systems
  • Secure to Conduction Cooled Assemblies, and prevent backplane damage due to insertion into wrong slot 

Key Features

  • ANSI VITA 1.6 Standard Compliant
  • 6 configurations per coding bracket set
  • 36 configurations in a 6U conduction cooled application
  • Up to 1296 keying combinations in a 6U non-conduction cooled application
  • Gold or Clear Chem Film aluminum bracket 

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News and Resources

Board News&Resources-Performance Data

Card-Lok Performance Guide

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Board News&Resources-Certification

AS9100 Quality System Certification

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Board News&Resources-A&D

Aerospace and Defence Brochure

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Products in Action

High Thermal Sawtooth Card-Loks and Integrated Conduction Cooled Assemblies by nVent SCHROFF

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Conduction Cooled Assemblies: Learn How We Can Help Address Your Thermal Challenges

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nVent SCHROFF San Diego Factory Virtual Capabilities Tour

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Board Retainers & Extractors FAQ

What types of board retainers does nVent SCHROFF offer for rugged applications?

Quick Answer: nVent SCHROFF provides Card-Lok and Wedge-Lok retainers designed for defense, avionics, and railway systems. These feature robust mechanical locking, torque-limiting designs, and positive retraction for secure PCB retention under extreme conditions.

How do board retainers support second-level maintenance?

Quick Answer: Card-Lok retainers enable quick, tool-free removal and insertion of PCBs in the field. Lever-actuated designs with visual lock indicators simplify handling and prevent over-tightening in mission-critical environments.

Are spring-based PCB retainers available for low-shock environments?

Yes. nVent SCHROFF offers stainless steel Series 125, 165, and 166 spring retainers. These economical solutions maintain consistent pressure and grounding for energy control and communication equipment.

What board retainers are suitable for cold-wall conduction-cooled systems?

Cold-wall retainers like Series NW125 and NW165 ensure tight contact between PCBs and the cold wall for efficient heat dissipation in railway electronics and automotive testing.

Can board retainers enhance thermal conduction?

Yes. Card-Lok retainers improve thermal transfer by clamping PCBs firmly against chassis rails. This creates a superior heat path for high-performance defense and avionics electronics.

Do board retainers comply with aerospace and defense standards?

Absolutely. Our Card-Lok and Wedge-Lok retainers meet VITA 48.x and MIL-STD requirements and are manufactured in AS9110D-certified facilities for mission-critical reliability.

Are board retainers available with customizable finishes and materials?

Yes. Options include gold/clear chem-film, black/hard anodized, and electroless nickel finishes. Stainless steel variants are also available for corrosion resistance in outdoor energy and railway sectors.

How do retainers handle board thickness variations and tolerances?

We incorporate tolerance-compensating designs to accommodate PCB thickness variations, ensuring secure retention for automotive control units and avionics modules.

Can I get CAD models or prototypes for board retainers?

Yes. nVent SCHROFF provides CAD templates and 3D-printed prototypes, enabling hardware developers to validate designs before production for customized industrial systems.

Are there board retainers suited for VITA-style conduction-cooled modules?

Yes. VITA-compliant retainers are available for conduction-cooled assemblies, ensuring compatibility with ruggedized systems used in defense and railway signaling.

CONTACT & DISTRIBUTION

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