Wire wrapping - how to attach a breakout board without soldering headers?

Question

I intend to use wire wrapping for a project involving an Arduino, and a Time of Flight sensor (https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-vl6180x-time-of-flight-micro-lidar-distance-sensor-breakout/overview).

The sensor comes on a separate, headerless board, and the recommended approach is to solder a header to the board. I would like to avoid soldering a header, if possible.

My current thought would be to use a long pinned wire wrapping header, from underneath the breakout board, and wire wrap to it, but I am unsure if this approach will work correctly (I do not have the supplies to test it currently).

Is there recommended, non-soldering approach to attaching a headerless breakout board, using wire wrapping?

Answer 1

As I understand your question you are not opposed to using some kind of header pins, you just don't want to solder them to the breakout board. It's difficult to get a good connection between the pin and the board without soldering, but a press fit pin might work for you. The pin shown below is from Vero Technologies. You can wrap on both the top and bottom of the pin. The pin must very tightly in a plated-through hole, and I used to have a spring-loaded tool that would insert them.

Answer 2

Is there recommended, non-soldering approach to attaching a headerless breakout board, using wire wrapping?

If you don't want to use solder you can either wirewrap it, which has its drawbacks, or use a 0.1" header. For a board that doesn't move wire-wrapping is great, but for a board that does, it creates problems if you don't wirewrap properly. You need to make sure wrap the wire properly or it will break from lack of strain relief:

The wires need at least 1 turn of insulation, preferably 2 or 3, why? Because when you cut the insulation, you nick the wire (even with the tools) this creates a weak point and if it is moved it breaks at that point. If the wire insulation is wrapped, this creates strain relief (essential to all cables) at that point.

Then you wire wrap the other end of the wire to another header to put in your board, I've done this a few times.

Another way to do this would be to use 0.1" headers with a male and female end such as these which are available at every place that sells cheap Chinese stuff and electronic hobbyist suppliers:

Answer 3

I think this is the product you need:

You can find them here or here or search google for solderless headers.