Stackable multi-row board-to-board connector products

Thanks to the proprietary snap-in biscuit design, this interconnect concept will allow multiple connector units to be stacked together. This means interconnections can be appropriately sized while avoiding the need for them to be custom built. The cost-effective approach will enable different pin count requirements to be attended to via the same basic interconnect platform, without any extra expense or engineering effort.

The new multi-row BTB connectors feature 0.4mm miniPLX press-fit pins, so the need for soldering is eliminated. These pins are made from a copper alloy and exhibit very low levels of contact resistance (<1mΩ). Each pin has a 3A current carrying capability. The optional coating of these pins with the company’s patented IndiCoat plating technology mitigates tin whisker build-up, in order to prevent the risk of short circuits and extend operational lifespan.

Interplex multi-row BTB connectors are available in board stacking heights from 7mm to 30mm. They can have between one and six rows, with up to 30 contact terminals being incorporated into each row. Conforming with automotive performance requirements, these rugged products can withstand high humidity levels (8 hour cycling up to 10% RH), shocks (35g for five to 10ms across 10 axes), and vibrations (8 hour per axis). A working temperature range of -40°C to +150°C is supported.

“Being able to fit enough interconnect terminal pins into a small space, while not having any excess, is a priority for any of our clients. At the same time, keeping their total cost of ownership down is also vital,” explains Ralph Semmeling, Product Portfolio Director at Interplex. “This means that the companies we are dealing with want access to off-the-shelf products at attractive price points, but with the inherent flexibility that following a custom-based strategy offers. Our new stackable interconnect platform gives them the best of both worlds. Allowing them to design to cost.”

There are a broad variety of applications that the robust, high-density, scalable multi-row BTB connectors will be targeted at. Among the most prominent of these are going to be electric vehicles (EVs), particularly for Electric Power Steering and Electronic Control Units functions. There are also opportunities for these connectors to be used in industrial automation systems (robots), transportation hardware (trains), medical instrumentation (such as imaging scanners), etc.