Z-Flat connector

Soldering fine pitch connections can be difficult. Defects for fine pitch connectors and components typically include bridging of adjacent pads, incomplete pad coverage, and flux bleed.

There can also be defects related to shock, vibration, temperature cycling, etc… Once a defect occurs with a soldered high-density connector, it can be very difficult to rework.

Z-Axis Connectors are solderless.

Miniaturization is a driving force in electronics and with it comes the necessity for closely spaced I/O. We offer connectors with evenly spaced straight wires, most often used to make multiple contacts with an individual pad.

• Standard Wire and Spacing: 0.05mm on 0.10mm centerlines
• Closer Spacing: 0.05mm and 0.75mm centerlines
• Thinner Wires: 0.025mm and 0.018mm diameter
• Special Patterns: Dedicated wires/variable spacing

We can also place optical or mechanical registration features in the connector strips. Please contact us for specific details.

The cost-benefit of this feature is for devices with a main board and optional add-on boards. The Z-Axis compression connector ships with the add-on board only. The main board just requires a matching I/O pad pattern; so that there is no cost until the add-on board is needed.

There are also manufacturing benefits by reducing part counts and reducing opportunities for two-part connector soldering defects. In addition, with high-density two-part connectors, mechanical pins can be fragile and difficult to re-mate/re-use if they become misaligned.

Because most Z-Axis connector elements have multiple wire contacts supported by an elastomeric core, they provide a low initial resistance that is not as effected by variations in the compressed height or number of mate/de-mate cycles.

Conductive polymer connections are comparatively affected by variations in the percentage deflection, degrade quickly with multiple mate/de-mate cycles, and are mixed in a batch process with inherent variability.