What’s on a Board to Board Connector?
Board-to-board connectors allow printed circuit boards to be connected without the need for cables. Connectors can be mounted using through-hole or surface mount technology and feature a range of pitches, connections per row, and features.
Male pin headers, also known as plugs, fit into female sockets (receptacles). Connector types vary in pitch, density, stack height and orientation.
Contacts
The contacts on a board-to-board connector are the points that transfer electrical current. They can be plated in different metals, such as copper, silver and gold, for improved performance and to prevent corrosion. board to board connector Contacts also may be insulated to protect against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and other environmental hazards.
Buyers can specify various details about a connector, including the number of rows and its pin pitch. Pitch refers to the distance between a connector’s pins and affects both connection density and the likelihood of arcing, which occurs when two conductors are too close together and cause interference. The Engineering360 SpecSearch database can help buyers review and select board-to-board connectors that are designed to meet specific requirements.
For example, buyers can specify that a connector is designed for through hole soldering or surface mount (SMT). Through-hole connectors have leads that pass through holes in the circuit board and require soldering to install them. SMT connectors have short pins that stick out of the top of the board and are held in place by a coating on the tips.
Another specification is the connector’s stacking height. The higher the stacking height, the more space between boards the connector can support. Other connector specifications include the connector’s housing size and material, the number of contact rows and its pin pitch. Buyers can also specify special features such as a locking mechanism, quick connect/disconnect or press-fit.
Insulators
The insulators on a board to board connector are important for ensuring signal integrity in high-speed and/or low-voltage applications. They also prevent contact damage to the pins from environmental factors like vibration, humidity and moisture. Most insulators are made from plastic resins, such as polycarbonate and nylon. These resins are melted and injected into a mold under high pressure, then instantaneously cooled to harden and set.
Depending on the type of board to board connector, the insulator may have a different physical strength. High-quality board to board connectors are able to handle up to 100 million insertion cycles and are often rated for temperature resistance from -40°C to +125°C. The insulator material can also vary in terms of mechanical specifications, such as vibration or pulling force.
In addition to board-to-board connectors, manufacturers offer surface mount (SMT) alternatives for more flexible design options. These have shorter leads or no leads at all and can be positioned closer together on the PCB than through-hole connectors. Samtec offers a wide variety of surface-mount stacking connectors in several densities and configurations. The Flex Stack line is especially versatile, with a variety of stacking heights that can be adjusted in increments of 0.005” (0.127mm) using a standard product part number, without non-recurring engineering charges or tooling fees.
Many applications require a high density of signals and grounds on a single PCB, so it is important to choose the right board to board connector for the job. Floating connectors can help absorb tolerances between the PCBs and their interfaces, making it easier for automated production systems to achieve accurate alignment. Some of the highest density solutions available come from Amphenol, with options like XCede for up to 128 differential pairs per connector and BergStak that offers up to 0.8mm signals.
Plating
The pins on board-to-board connectors can be plated with copper, gold or nickel. Plating is important for many reasons, including reducing signal loss, maintaining contact integrity and improving quality. It also affects cost, and the amount of current a connector can carry. Different metals have different electrical properties, and you’ll need to choose the one that is best for your application.
Different board-to-board connectors are available for a wide Board-to-Board Connector Supplier range of applications. There are a variety of sizes, pin/pad counts, key/shroud styles and mounting options (SMD or through-hole). You’ll need to consider how much current the connector will be carrying, as well as the routing density on your circuit board.
Board-to-board connectors are simple, but they offer many benefits for your PCB design. The next time you need to connect two PCBs, you should look into these versatile components for your layout. Remember to check your design with the correct size and spacing, and consider other factors like test, debug, and assembly needs, as these can influence your choice of connector. In addition, make sure you use a PCB design tool with the appropriate design rule checks and library parts. Some tools may even have special features for placing these types of headers, including highlighting potential obstructions. This makes them easier to work with and will help you avoid mistakes during layout.
Special Features
Board-to-board connectors can be configured in a number of ways to support different applications. For example, mezzanine connectors allow PCBs to be stacked vertically one on top of another, offering high-density interconnects for data processing and industrial equipment. Motherboard-to-daughterboard connectors, meanwhile, are designed to connect multiple daughter boards to a single mother board in a perpendicular manner.
The configuration of a board to board connector is determined by its pin pitch, stacking height and termination method. These factors affect the physical dimensions and electrical performance of the connector. For instance, a connector with a higher pin pitch requires more space on the PCB to accommodate its contacts, while those with a lower pin pitch can be smaller and therefore more compact.
In addition to these specifications, a board to board connector can have a variety of special features that address particular manufacturing or operating conditions. For example, some headers are hermetically sealed or made from corrosion-resistant materials. Others have filters that block EMI or are designed to be used in harsh environments.
Other features that affect a connector’s performance include its plating, which can be gold, silver or copper. Connectors with higher plating are more expensive but provide better contact resistance. They can also be designed to be press-fit or quick-connect, which eliminates the need for soldering and reduces overall assembly time.
