Random question: Why is it important to fasten the mid-plate screws in order?
Thanks!
Usually, it’s to apply force evenly while screwing things down. From my experience, if you don’t do it on certain products (not just Framework stuff), it can lead to warping/alignment issues.
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Take a look at the pattern the numerical order creates: it begins in the middle/center of the mid-plate and progressively moves outward. This “pushes” the excess “slack” in the mid-plate to the edges of the laptop rather than forcing that “slack” into the center/middle if fastened in the inverse order. This pattern improves the rigidity of the mid-plate underneath the keyboard. Hence, it’s recommended to tighten the screws in the labeled order, rather than the inverse order or worse, a completely random order.
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Also bear in mind that there is a thermal rubber piece that contacts the SSD, and this is in the region of the screws labelled 2 & 3, so these should be tightened down early to ensure the midplate is making thermal contact with the SSD. If these two screws are left to last then the rubber may not clamp down on the SSD very well.
I also like to do two passes around the screws when tightening them down, first one to get the screws started then the second one to tighten them down. I had to slacken the screws on mine on an early pass as one of the corner screws wouldn’t align with the thread it should screw into. This is what led me to do the two passes each time.
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If anyone makes a note of the screw numbers the next time they have their keyboard removed I’ll add them to the visually impaired guide please.
I’ll have a guess at the numbers based on three of the screws I do know the locations of.
In particular could someone check the bottom four rows of the following text because they really are a guess.
All screws go left then right.
1 cable
2,3 immediately above metal strip
4,5 on metal strip
6,7 middle of upper textured area
8,9 below metal strip
10,11 two central screws at top by screen
12,13 two outer screws at top by screen
14,15 two central screws at bottom
16,17 two outer screws at bottom
I updated your list.
I’ve bolded the screw numbers that differ from your list. Hopefully the screen reader will pick up that emphasis in a helpful way. I gave additional context for 6&7, 12&13 and 16&17.
1 cable
2,3 on metal strip (2 is below and 20mm left of the left-most the middle group of 3 pogo pads, 3 is below the right-most pad of the same middle group)
4,5 below metal strip (4 is below the middle of the left plastic touchpad spacer mount, 5 is below the middle of the right plastic touchpad spacer mount)
6,7 middle of upper textured area (below the vertical vents)
8,9 two central screws at top by screen (above the vertical vents)
10,11 two central screws at bottom
12,13 two outer screws at top by screen (in the same horizontal plane as 8,9)
14,15 immediately above metal strip (14 is above the left-most pogo pad, 15 is above the right-most pogo pad. 15 is also horizontally aligned with the bottom of the 1 mid-plate cable)
16,17 two outer screws at bottom (these are located inside the left and right input deck latches)
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Thank you. That’s brilliant.
I’ve added some more detail to the guide but it can’t be updated any more. I’ve asked one of the mods by DM. I don’t know what the recommended method is to talk to any of the mods.