SMT Interconnects Link Parallel Stacked Boards

Surface-mount devices have been developed that are said to offer advantages over conventional through-hole pins for interconnecting parallel stacked boards. Called Solderball Pins, the new daughtercard-to-motherboard interconnects consist of a high-conductivity, copper peg on one end of the pin and a solder ball on the other. The peg’s tapered design helps assure easy insertion and consistent seating on the daughtercard, while the solder balls are said to compensate for coplanarity variances as solder joints are formed during final reflow to the motherboard. Solderball Pins are said to automatically adjust for coplanarity variances as high as 0.015'' to 0.020''. And an an insulator collar on the pin prevents unwanted wicking of solder up to the length of the pin itself. The individually placeable Solderball Pins come in the same diameters as through-hole pins (i.e., 0.040'' and 0.062'') and are packaged in tape-and-reels for use in “chipshooter” automated equipment. AUTOSPLICE INC., San Diego, CA. (800) 535-5538.