Message
Victor -
 
IPC-2221 addresses gold edge card plating thickness in paragraph 4.4.4 and table 4-3.  For class 2 (most commercial boards) the plating requirement is 0.8um (minimum) Au over 2.5um Ni, for Class 3 it is 1.3um (minimum) Au over 2.5um Ni. When I do gold fingers I tend to specify 2.5-5.0um Nickel/ 2.0-3.0um Au. So if the nickel underneath meets spec your boards should be fine.
 
Soft Gold is purest (24k) with no iron, cobalt, or nickel co deposited, generally used for wire bonding. Hard gold is 23+k but uses co-deposits to prevent ware on switch pads or card edge connector fingers. Flash or Immersion gold is plated chemically,  is supposed to self limit the plated thickness at less than 0.5um, it is generally used as a solderability protective finish for flatness.  
 

Jeffrey A McGlaughlin, CID
Engineering Designer
Battelle Memorial Institute
Columbus Ohio
http://www.battelle.org
[log in to unmask]

-----Original Message-----
From: Victor Hernandez [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 2:08 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] Printed Wire Board / Printed Circuit Board and Options Cards - G old Finger Thickness Round Robin Test

Fellow TechNetters,

   I did not receive any viable leads on my initial topic of inquiry.   Therefore, I have restated my inquiry to see if some

one will response this time.   With cost cutting ventures from overseas I see product with Gold Finger thickness in
LOW range of 2 - 3 microns.   My concern here is the wear ability factor and is the consumer aware of these facts.
I also hear of SOFT / HARD / FLASH GOLD.   Where can I find information on what
                        ONCE UPON A TIME INDUSTRY STANDARD.

Victor,

 -----Original Message-----
From:   Hernandez, Victor G 
Sent:   Wednesday, July 24, 2002 8:16 AM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Gold, Soft/Hard, Insertion Documentation

Follow Tec Netters,

    Where can I locate information on insertion documentation for hard and soft gold.

Victor G. Hernandez
Component/Material Failure Analysis Eng.
PS4-1, Rm. 132
Ofc:     512-725-3471
Pgr:     512-907-0005

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