Removing the FPCs

The router can have up to eight FPCs mounted vertically in the FPC card cage on the front of the chassis, as shown in Figure 1. An FPC that houses four PICs weighs about 15 lb (6.8 kg).

To help you work systematically, the following procedure directs you to remove FPCs starting at the left side of the card cage and working toward the right. You can remove FPCs in any order, however. As you remove each FPC, label it with its slot number and record the relevant information in the checklist in Table 23.

Table 23: FPC Removal Checklist

To remove the FPCs, follow this procedure (see Figure 41):

1. Place an electrostatic bag or antistatic mat on a flat, stable surface.
2. Attach an electrostatic discharge (ESD) grounding strap to your bare wrist and connect the strap to one of the ESD points on the chassis. Make sure the router is attached to a proper earth ground. For more information about ESD, see Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage.
3. Locate the FPC or blank panel located in the leftmost slot of the card cage on the front of the chassis. It is directly below the offline button on the craft interface that is labeled FPC0.
4. If the slot is covered by a blank panel, you can leave it in place. If the slot contains an FPC, perform the following steps:
   1. Loosen the thumbscrew at each end of the FPC, using a Phillips screwdriver if necessary.
   2. Pull the ends of the ejector levers, which are adjacent to the thumbscrews, away from the face of the FPC until they are nearly perpendicular to it.
   3. Grasp the top and bottom flanges of the card carrier and slide the FPC about halfway out of the card cage.
   4. Place one hand around the front of the FPC (the PIC housing) and the other hand under it to support it. Slide the FPC completely out of the chassis, and place it on the antistatic mat or in the electrostatic bag.

      The weight of the FPC is concentrated in the back end. Be prepared to accept the full weight—up to 29 lb (13.2 kg)—as you slide the FPC out of the chassis. When the FPC is out of the chassis, do not hold it by the ejector levers, bus bars, or edge connectors. They cannot support its weight. Do not stack FPCs on top of one another after removal. Place each one individually in an electrostatic bag or on its own antistatic mat on a flat, stable surface.

5. Repeat Step Step 4 for each FPC card carrier or blank cover, proceeding from left to right.