Whewhoo, let the fun begin...

using compliant pin connectors on a daughter card is usually done for high density and signal conditioning purposes [my experience].  Backplanes are very straight forward even double sided pressings... "Conventional" Motherboards with press fit I/O get to be more challenging and usually involve hand soldering and having the process engineers feel good about having truly clever assembly alternatives.  Daughter cards on the other hand can be a challenge because of unanticipated funding or higher PWB and ASSY costs.  While the BP or MB are expected to be more money, the surprise comes with the daughter card.  Image a series of part numbers all going through the usual assembly: reflow reflow wave, or variants. Then the need for ultra care in handling due to ESD and large value added components on board; the need for through put in a production deadline way... and envision having each of these daughter cards going to the insertion process in a serial mode after assembly.   It can be tough; who wants to do the engineering proto board?  One "oops" and the parts on that board need to be harvested; the board could be lost, the connector need replacement... who pays for that.  Then there's the cost of tooling... ouch.  

This is one of those equations that volume is everything.  There are Suppliers who do very, very good in that niche business of daughter card connector insertion, you just have to do your homework.  Make sure you have very good PCB Designers, the cards I get with high density press fits are not forgiving; the design really needs to be perfect and the good ones are perfect.  Those are the "boring boards", the boards that get fab'd, assembled and operate on time and everyone is happy.  No one remembers those boards.  It's the boards that aren't boring that no one forgets... wrong hole size in the press fit holes; to big or small... a BGA to close and the connectors won't go in, something goes wrong and it takes 16 weeks to get a replacement connector or other part...

What is the pin size and spacing you have in mind; also what are the known personalities on the card, such as diff pairs.  You'll see you rapidly get over .080 inch thick and require perfect PTH aspect ratio.  When you get a handle on that ensure your area surrounding the connector will not impede the assembly.  

Just make sure your board is a boring board, because a boring board is a happy board...   Sounds good.

Boston Brad
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Victor G. Hernandez<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 11:06 AM
  Subject: [TN] Press Fit Pins / Compliance Pins


  Fellow TechNetters:

     Can some one share their experience when is a compliance pins is a
  GOOD candidate for a PWB/PCB insertion.

  Victor,

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