23/09/97
                                                                      18:28
 RE>>[TECHNET] Press Fit

I aggree with everything Jeff Seeger writes, and just to add a little more
that springs to mind from a person in the backplane industry...
.......Advantages..........
Easy to Rework
Easy to rework individual pins on connectors
Tooling controls pins heights tolerence requirements
Double sided thru-hole assembly poses no problems for assembly, (try to wave
solder a double side thru-hole assembly)
No requirement for thermal relief for power connections
Connector supplier design/fabricates own tooling
With good design practice, can rework assemblies when situated in their
finished assembly, ie no need to remove from chasis/cable harnessing.
Therefore can also be reworked in the field (££££)
No cleanliness/contaminent issues
HASL not a necessity.
Not as much a requirement for connector orientation etc that is required to
avoid bridging, shadowing typical on wave soldered assemblies.
and more.........

........Disadvantages...........
Slivers can be created
Slow, unless invest in very expensive equipment or mass insertion
Tooling expensive, but tooling can be used from assembly to assembly for same
connectors
and more ............

John O'Sullivan

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