Multiple board to board connectors

[Simon]

I have used in a design 2 double row 2mm pitch TH headers to connect 2 PCB's together. Well I know that it did not help that the recommended footprint was way too big on the hole footprints. But are there any tips or tricks to using more than one connector?

I assume that making the holes as tight as I dare so that I do not have alignment issues with the two (or more) connectors is a start.

[PeteH]

Samtec has a couple posts on this:
https://blog.samtec.com/post/multiple-connector-alignment-on-mating-pcbs/
https://blog.samtec.com/post/challenges-of-aligning-multiple-connector-sets/


I've seen 1~2 pins being used on PTH connectors as "alignment" drivers, where most of the footprint can have IPC compliant standards holes/pads, but 1-2 of the end pins (on either end) would be tightened up to ensure the connector is straight as possible / aligned, can even offset those 2 holes to pull the connector so that the pins are snug against the barrels on one side.

Can also fixture the PTH soldering process for small batches.
Large distances between the two connectors scales any skew/amplifies small angles.

[jpanhalt]

Sparkfun published a suggestion to stagger holes in each row.  That helps alignment without making the holes unusually small.

[eugene]

Fixture everything during assembly. For one-offs and prototypes, that usually means putting everything together before soldering.

[Simon]

I like the idea of offsetting some or all of the holes. that sounds like a plan. Anyone else using wurth connectors, beware, the hole sizes given in the datasheet are more than generous, more like ridicolous.