10.4 Surface | Electroplated Nickel/Gold
| Feature | Description / Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Application |
| ||
| Properties |
| ||
| IPC Class II | IPC Class III | ||
| Ni plating thickness [µm] | > 3 | > 3 | |
| Au plating thickness [µm] | > 0.8 | > 1.25 | |
| Processing warranty in months (at a max. storage temperature of 30 °C and max. relative humidity of 70 %) | 12 |
Partial Gold Plating with Connecting Conductors
Connecting conductors are used to interconnect layout parts that are to be gold-plated
and also to establish connections for these beyond the edge of the board.
and also to establish connections for these beyond the edge of the board.
Connecting conductors can also be pulled through the inner layers when there are multilayers.
*) Vias/Microvias of the types
Filled and capped according to IPC-4761 Type VII
Microvia (MV) Copper-Filling-Technology
are not recommended in contact areas of edge connectors, as such vias can still have slight unevenness/dimples, which can lead to contact problems! The IPC-A-600 ("Acceptability of Printed Boards", latest edition) also describes in the section "Surface Plating – Printed Board Edge Connector Lands" that no unevenness or other surface defects may be present in the core area of such contact surfaces.
There are two typical manufacturing processes for partial electroplated gold, with drilling/milling off connecting conductors or with etching away connecting conductors.
Learn more
Filled and capped according to IPC-4761 Type VII
Microvia (MV) Copper-Filling-Technology
are not recommended in contact areas of edge connectors, as such vias can still have slight unevenness/dimples, which can lead to contact problems! The IPC-A-600 ("Acceptability of Printed Boards", latest edition) also describes in the section "Surface Plating – Printed Board Edge Connector Lands" that no unevenness or other surface defects may be present in the core area of such contact surfaces.
There are two typical manufacturing processes for partial electroplated gold, with drilling/milling off connecting conductors or with etching away connecting conductors.
Learn more
Design Recommendations to Avoid Wrinkling in Edge connector
To better avoid wrinkling in the area of a edge connector/plug-in contacts, plane - inner layers should also be filled with copper in these areas, if this is electrically compatible.Learn more in the article 16.5 Further Design Recommendations
Frequently asked questions
What are the cost differences and performance advantages of circuit boards with hard gold-plated contacts compared to standard contacts?
The use of hard gold-plated contacts (via electroplated NiAu) incurs additional costs, which are primarily influenced by the following factors: the applied circuit board technology, the size of the circuit board, the area and thickness of the contacts to be gold-plated, as well as the current gold price. While the additional costs can often range between 10-20%, hard gold plating offers significant performance advantages. These include improved performance, increased corrosion resistance, and enhanced durability, especially in applications with high mating cycle requirements. For an accurate cost estimation, it is essential to consider the specific project requirements.
Keywords
- Hard gold
- Edge connector contacts
- Wrinkling
- Surface finishes
- Connectors
- Design guidelines