Kathy Palumbo wrote:
>
> Hey everyone.  Can anyone help me out here?  Our board vendor is trying
> to convince our purchasing department to use gold flash (about 7u"
> thick) on the PCB connector fingers instead of gold plate (about 30u"
> thick).  We make memory boards.  These boards will most likely be
> plugged in to a system one time, however there could be instances where
> they are installed and removed many times.  We guarantee our boards for
> life.  Won't the gold flake off, exposing the nickel and eventually
> cause opens if the nickel surface starts to oxidize?  Could anyone tell
> me where I can find documented proof which supports this theory?
>
> ################################################################
> TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c
> ################################################################
> To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body:
> To subscribe:   SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name>
> To unsubscribe:   SIGNOFF TechNet
> ################################################################
> Please visit IPC web site (http://jefry.ipc.org/forum.htm) for additional information.
> For the technical support contact Dmitriy Sklyar at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.311
> ################################################################

Kathy--

You'd better stay with the thicker Au finished coating thickness, as
previously mentioned here on technet (several times) the thickness of
the Au deposit is critical to the reliability of the inteconnection.
There is a lot of available data on printed contact reliability in many
journals.

You should go to the IPC's home page and go the the e-mail forum's, and
check the archieved file for either "gold plate".

Don't let the printed board manufacturer do it to you.

Ralph

--
Ralph Hersey

Ralph Hersey & Associates
3885 Mills Way
Livermore, CA 94550-3319
PHN: 510.454.9805
FAX: 510.454.9805
e-mail: [log in to unmask]

################################################################
TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c
################################################################
To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body:
To subscribe:   SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name>
To unsubscribe:   SIGNOFF TechNet 
################################################################
Please visit IPC web site (http://jefry.ipc.org/forum.htm) for additional information.
For the technical support contact Dmitriy Sklyar at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.311
################################################################