Hard Gold Plating For Edge Connectors

RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY
Hard Gold Plating for Edge

Connectors
Edge connectors are commonly used in electronics to make connections
between printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other components. They consist of
multiple contact pads arranged on the edge of a PCB that mate with pins or
sockets on another device. Ensuring quality connections on these pads is
critical for proper functioning of electronic devices.
Hard gold plating is an effective way to enhance the durability and
performance of edge connector contacts. It involves electroplating a layer of
hard gold alloy onto the copper contact pads. Compared to conventional soft
gold plating, hard gold provides increased hardness, wear resistance, and
PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

reliability under repeated insertion/removal cycles. This makes it well-suited for
high-cycle and harsh environment applications.
Benefits of Hard Gold Plating on Edge Connectors
Improved Durability
Hard gold plating significantly improves connector durability compared to soft
gold or tin finishes. The hardened gold layer is much more resistant to friction
and abrasive wear during repeated mating cycles. This prevents issues like
fretting corrosion and contact fatigue that degrade connection quality over
time. Parts with hard gold contacts maintain low and stable contact resistance
even after 100,000+ insertion cycles.

Excellent Conductivity
In addition to mechanical robustness, hard gold platings provide high and
stable electrical conductivity similar to pure soft gold. This ensures reliable
signal transmission across contacts without increasing connection resistance.
The excellent conductivity is maintained over prolonged use without
degradation.
Corrosion Resistance
Hard gold finishes offer exceptional corrosion resistance comparable to
traditional gold surfaces. The material remains largely unaffected by humidity,
industrial atmospheres, salt spray, and other corrosive elements in most
environments. This prevents corrosion issues like dendrite growth or surface
oxidation that gradually destroy connections.
Lead-free Process Compatibility
With the electronics industry moving towards adopting lead-free
manufacturing processes, hard gold platings have adapted to enable
compatibility. Hard gold finishes are now available using tin alloy or palladium
substrates that support lead-free soldering. This allows manufacturers to move
to environmentally safer process while still leveraging benefits of hard gold
edge connectors.

Cost Effectiveness
Despite significant performance improvements over soft gold, adding hard
gold plating only incrementally increases fabrication costs. And the enhanced
durability results in longer service life along with lower maintenance costs. This
makes hard gold plating a cost-effective option for enhancing connector
performance in challenging application environments. Savings multiply further
in high-volume production runs.
Hard Gold Plating Process Steps
Applying hard gold plating onto edge connector contacts requires specialized
electroplating processes. It involves precisely controlling process chemistry

and electrical parameters to deposit a specific gold layer matrix. The key steps
are:
Surface Preparation
The contact must first be properly cleaned and microetched to remove oxides
and activate the surface. This roughens up the surface for better plating
adhesion. Specific surface profiles are necessary for certain hard gold platings.
Strike Deposition
A thin pure gold strike layer of 0.05 to 0.1 μin is plated onto the prepared
copper base. This coats the base evenly and also prevents migration of
subsequent gold alloy layers into copper which can form brittle intermetallic
compounds.
Diffusion Barrier
Selective hard gold processes deposit a nickel or cobalt barrier about 2 μin
thick. This barrier prevents diffusion between the copper base and upper gold
rich alloy coating. The barrier retains temper and hardness properties of the
alloy coating.
Hard Gold Matrix Plating
The main plating step deposits a matrix gold alloy coating like AuCo or AuNi to
desired thickness, typically around 2 to 5 μin. Solution chemistry factors like

metal ion concentrations and pH determine the platings hardness, wear
resistance and other qualities.
Outermost Pure Gold Layer
Finally a 0.05 to 0.1 μin outer finish layer of pure gold caps off the coating. This
protects the gold alloy matrix beneath and enables effective soldering. The
pure gold matches oxidation potential with upper alloy layer to prevent
galvanic corrosion.
Table: Key Hard Gold Plating Process Steps
Proper process control and plating chemistry enables depositing a layered
gold structure optimized for hardness and performance.
Hardness and Wear Resistance Testing

Verifying the hardness and durability gains from hard gold plating requires
standardized mechanical testing methods. Two common tests used are:
Knoop Microhardness Testing
This technique uses a pyramidal diamond indenter to make micro-impressions
on plated samples. The resulting impression geometry determines Knoop
hardness number. Hard gold finishes typically measure 300-800 KHN or more
compared to around 100-200 for soft gold. The higher value indicates
enhanced resistance to contact damage.
Cycle Sliding Wear Testing
Here a test pin is repeatedly inserted and withdrawn from plated contact pads
while monitoring electrical resistance changes. The number of cycles until
resistance exceeds set limits determines relative wear life. Hard gold coatings
can endure 100,000+ cycles with minimal resistance effects versus just ~10,000
cycles for common finishes like ENIG or HASL.

Properly specifying hardness targets and validating through such testing
ensures the hard gold finish provides necessary durability and extended
operation life needed in specific connector applications.
Applications Benefitting from Hard Gold Edge Contacts
With its unique set of advantages, hard gold plating creates value in edge
connectors used in a variety of industries and challenging environments:
Computer Servers and Datacom Hardware
Servers and network switches utilize high density board-to-board
interconnects with edge connectors that endure continual insertion/removal of

cards for upgrades. Hard gold contacts maintain quality connections despite
such disruption.
Telecom Infrastructure Equipment
Telecom systems employ arrays of PCBs interconnected through connectors
that must survive years of vibration, shock, dust and corrosion during
uninterrupted operation. Hard gold provides necessary durability while
retaining signal integrity.
Automotive Applications
Vehicles incorporate many PCB connections exposed to vibration, moisture
temperature swings and chemical contamination. Hard gold plated connectors
ensure automotive electronics last beyond typical 10-15 year vehicle lifespans.
Military and Aerospace Systems
Defense and avionics electronics operate under intense mechanical and
environmental stresses. Hard gold connector contacts maintain connections
during shock/vibration while resisting corrosion from fuels, salt spray etc. in
these extreme conditions to support mission reliability.
Wherever dependable connections under repeated mechanical disruption or
harsh environments are needed, hard gold plated edge connectors thrive. The

minor additional cost over conventional finishes more than pays off through
enhanced performance, lifespans and lower maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hard gold plating?
Hard gold plating refers to electroplated gold alloy finishes with hardness
exceeding 200 Knoop that are more durable alternatives to conventional soft
pure gold plating. Specialized plating chemistry and processes deposit gold
alloys like AuCo and AuNi as wear and abrasion resistant surface coatings.
How hard does hard gold plating get?

Typical hard gold finishes achieve 300-800 Knoop hardness through tuning
factors like alloying percentages, layer thicknesses, and deposition processes.
Coatings exceeding 500 KHN offer substantial gains in wear performance. New
techniques are also extending capabilities beyond 800 KHN.
Is hard gold plating better than soft gold?
For connectors and contacts that endure repeated mechanical disruption like
insertion cycles, hard gold platings significant durability gains justify change
from traditional soft gold. Up to 100X+ increase in lifetime cycles along with
anti-fretting and consistent conductivity gives hard gold edge and header
connectors an advantage.
Can you solder with hard gold plating?
Hard gold processes now support soldering by incorporating final flash
coating of pure gold outer layer. This matches oxidation potential with
underlying hard gold alloy to prevent galvanic corrosion while enabling
effective wetting for lead-free solders. So hard gold is solderable by design.
Is hard gold plating expensive?
While hard gold adds incremental cost over soft gold plating, it remains
economical compared to premium finishes like gold flash over nickel palladium.

And enhanced reliability, longer lifetimes, and lower maintenance costs offset
the modest additional plating expense - creating better total cost profile.

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RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Hard Gold Plating for Edge

Edge connectors are commonly used in electronics to make connections

sockets on another device. Ensuring quality connections on these pads is

critical for proper functioning of electronic devices.

Hard gold plating is an effective way to enhance the durability and

performance of edge connector contacts. It involves electroplating a layer of

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

reliability under repeated insertion/removal cycles. This makes it well-suited for

high-cycle and harsh environment applications.

Benefits of Hard Gold Plating on Edge Connectors

Hard gold plating significantly improves connector durability compared to soft

even after 100,000+ insertion cycles.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

In addition to mechanical robustness, hard gold platings provide high and

signal transmission across contacts without increasing connection resistance.

The excellent conductivity is maintained over prolonged use without

Hard gold finishes offer exceptional corrosion resistance comparable to

traditional gold surfaces. The material remains largely unaffected by humidity,

industrial atmospheres, salt spray, and other corrosive elements in most

environments. This prevents corrosion issues like dendrite growth or surface

oxidation that gradually destroy connections.

Lead-free Process Compatibility

With the electronics industry moving towards adopting lead-free

manufacturing processes, hard gold platings have adapted to enable

substrates that support lead-free soldering. This allows manufacturers to move

to environmentally safer process while still leveraging benefits of hard gold

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

Despite significant performance improvements over soft gold, adding hard

makes hard gold plating a cost-effective option for enhancing connector

performance in challenging application environments. Savings multiply further

in high-volume production runs.

Hard Gold Plating Process Steps

electroplating processes. It involves precisely controlling process chemistry

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

Hard Gold Matrix Plating

desired thickness, typically around 2 to 5 μin. Solution chemistry factors like

metal ion concentrations and pH determine the platings hardness, wear

resistance and other qualities.

Outermost Pure Gold Layer

Table: Key Hard Gold Plating Process Steps

Proper process control and plating chemistry enables depositing a layered

gold structure optimized for hardness and performance.

Hardness and Wear Resistance Testing

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

standardized mechanical testing methods. Two common tests used are:

Knoop Microhardness Testing

This technique uses a pyramidal diamond indenter to make micro-impressions

on plated samples. The resulting impression geometry determines Knoop

enhanced resistance to contact damage.

Cycle Sliding Wear Testing

while monitoring electrical resistance changes. The number of cycles until

cycles for common finishes like ENIG or HASL.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

Properly specifying hardness targets and validating through such testing

operation life needed in specific connector applications.

Applications Benefitting from Hard Gold Edge Contacts