Techniques are disclosed for integrating the LED lead frame into the LED circuit fabrication process. The LED packages within the lead frame may be spaced according to the final spacing of the LED packages on the finished circuit board, such that multiple LED packages may be attached to a circuit board at a time by applying the lead frame to circuit board and then removing portions of the lead frame, leaving the LED packages attached to the board. The LED packages may be attached using solder or conductive epoxy, in some embodiments. Alternatively, part of the lead frame may include conductive wires forming one or more strings of LED packages. An entire string of LED packages may then be removed from the lead frame in a single motion and placement may be performed for a string of LED packages all at once rather than for individual LED packages.