Custom Board to Board interconnect.

[aparlett]

Hello All,

Its been a while since I have been on the forums as I have been quite busy with my grad job. My scope is back in storage .
One of the tasks I have been given is the maintenance of a dive system that is over 30 years old. We need to have some custom board to board interconnectors made to keep this thing going. Would any one have any idea of anywhere local that could help out.

EDIT: Forgot to mention we are looking for someone local that can make a new set for us. This will be a lot more expensive  several thousand but its only option we have.

[dave_k]

http://www.galco.com/buy/ABB/5217594-2

Maybe they have one or more in stock...

[Ian.M]

http://www.sullinscorp.com/catalogs/264_DUAL_EDGE.pdf

[aparlett]

Thanks Guys should have mentioned we are looking to get them made up for us. The ones that ABB supply are terrible and can only be used a few times.

[Ian.M]

Thanks Guys should have mentioned we are looking to get them made up for us. The ones that ABB supply are terrible and can only be used a few times.

Why?  What fails?

[aparlett]

Thanks Guys should have mentioned we are looking to get them made up for us. The ones that ABB supply are terrible and can only be used a few times.

Why?  What fails?

The Board to board connectors fail after one or two inserts. 

[Ian.M]

Yes, but how do they fail?
Do the contacts break or distort or loose their spring pressure?
Does the housing crack or break?
Do they develop excessive contact resistance?

I would expect such a connector to work reliably for 50 mating cycles, unless it is exposed to a corrosive atmosphere, or is used with incompatible contact platings or an excessively thick or thin board.

I suspect you have underestimated the costs of a custom connector from a company that doesn't already have a back-to-back doubloe edge connector in their product range, by an order of magnitude.  Tooling for custom formed contacts + plating them, and the injection moulds for the housing aren't going to be cheap.

[ansonbao]

do you have the design file?If yes,we can make the boards for you in 24 hours.Hope can help you.

[rcbuck]

One thing that is very strange about the boards. Those edge connectors would typically have been gold plated during that time frame. They saved a few pennies and chose to use HASL.

It would be doubtful that the connectors are the problem. I think the issue may be the the HASL fingers. I would suggest using solder wick to level the fingers out so they are flat across the entire surface and see if that solves the problem.