PANASONIC AXT550124
Notes on Using Narrow Pitch Connectors / High Current Connectors
This document provides essential safety remarks and guidelines for using narrow pitch and high current connectors, focusing on preventing circuitry damage, ensuring safety, and optimizing product performance. It covers recommendations for board-to-board and board-to-FPC applications, including design considerations for PC boards and mounting equipment, as well as proper soldering and handling procedures.
| Safety Remarks | Description |
|---|---|
| Usage Limits | Do not use connectors beyond specification sheets (rated current, dielectric strength, environmental conditions) to prevent abnormal heating, smoke, or fire. Thorough specification review is required. Contact Panasonic if usage is out of specifications; otherwise, quality and reliability are not guaranteed. |
| Quality & Reliability | Electrical components have statistical failure probabilities and varying durability based on use environments. Check actual components under actual conditions before use. Continued use in degraded states can lead to insulation deterioration, abnormal heat, smoke, or fire. Implement safety designs (redundancy, fire spread prevention, malfunction prevention) to avoid injury, death, fire, or social damage. |
| PC Board Design Considerations | Details |
|---|---|
| Multiple Connectors | Do not connect a pair of boards with multiple connectors to avoid misaligned positions, mating failure, or product breakage. |
| Mounting Equipment Error | Account for potential positioning errors (0.2-0.3 mm) from mounting equipment when designing PC boards and patterns. |
| Positioning Tabs | If connectors have embossed tabs for positioning, design PC boards with matching positioning holes. |
| Mechanical Strength | Ensure PC boards meet recommended pattern design dimensions for required mechanical strength when soldering connector terminals. |
| Coverlay/Adhesive Thickness | Control coverlay and adhesive thickness to prevent poor soldering, especially since this connector has no stand-off. Minimize thickness. |
| PC Board Fixation | For narrow pitch series, design means to fix the PC board (e.g., with screws) to prevent it from coming off during vibrations or impacts and to protect soldered portions. |
| FPC Board Mounting | When soldering to FPC, use reinforcing plates (glass epoxy, polyimide 0.2-0.3mm, or SUS 0.1-0.2mm) larger than the PC board recommended process pattern to prevent solder detachment from terminal force during mating/unmating. |
| Temporary Locking Structure | Consider measures to prevent mating separation due to dropping impact, size, weight, or bending force of the FPC, as this connector has a temporary locking structure. |
| Compact & Thin Design | Take care when mating narrow pitch connectors to avoid displacement or angled mating, which could damage or deform the connector. |
| Placement Machine & Mounting Procedures | Details |
|---|---|
| Machine Selection | Select placement machines considering connector height, required positioning accuracy, and packaging conditions. |
| Chucking Force | Avoid excessive chucking force from the placement machine, which can deform the connector body or terminals. |
| External Forces | Be aware that external forces during mounting can deform connector contact surfaces and terminals. |
| Self-Alignment | For connectors where self-alignment may not be possible, carefully position the terminal with the PC board pattern. |
| Positioning Bosses | Use automatic positioning machines for accurate connector mounting, as positioning bosses provide only approximate alignment. |
| Static Electricity | In dry conditions, take measures against static electricity (recommended humidity 40%-60%RH; use ionizer) to prevent products from adhering to carrier tape. |
| Soldering - Reflow Soldering | Details |
|---|---|
| Profile Temperature | Measure recommended reflow profile temperature with a sensor near the connector surface or terminals on the PC board. Temperature settings vary by product. |
| Cream Solder Printing | Screen printing is recommended for cream solder. |
| Screen Opening & Foot Pattern | Refer to specifications for recommended PC board pattern and metal mask window size. Do not increase board pattern or metal mask size at the base of terminals. |
| Excess Solder | Avoid too much solder, which can cause miss mating due to interference at the soldering portion. |
| Double-Sided Mounting | For connectors mounted on the underside of a double-sided PC board, use adhesives or other means to secure the connector. Double reflow soldering on the same side is possible. |
| Solder/Flux Characteristics | Consider solder and flux characteristics, and set reflow temperature and oxygen level accordingly, as conditions vary. |
| Resin-Containing Solder | Do not use resin-containing solder, as it may firmly fix the contacts. |
| Temperature Profile Conditions | Use recommended reflow temperature profile conditions. Contact for profiles other than described (e.g., lead-free solder). |
| Metal Boards/Tables | When reflow soldering on metal boards or tables for FPC mounting, ensure no connector deformation or discoloration occurs. |
| Screen Printing Thickness | Consult manufacturer when using a screen printing thickness other than recommended. |
| Soldering - Hand Soldering | Details |
|---|---|
| Soldering Iron Temperature | Tip temperature: SMD type connectors 300C within 5 sec; other types 350C within 3 sec. |
| Flux Spread | Prevent flux from spreading onto connector leads or PC board to avoid flux rising inside the connector. |
| Solder Application | Touch iron to foot pattern, heat pattern and terminal, then apply solder wire to melt at the end of terminals. Apply solder wire at a small angle (up to 45 degrees). |
| Load During Soldering | Avoid applying load on connector terminals during soldering to prevent improper operation. |
| Soldering Iron Cleaning | Thoroughly clean the soldering iron. |
| Contact Surface Cleaning | After soldering, carefully check and clean off any solder from contact surfaces. |
| Excess Solder (Low Profile) | For low profile types, avoid too much solder to prevent miss mating due to interference at the soldering portion. |
| Soldering - Rework | Details |
|---|---|
| Rework Operation | Finish reworking in one operation. |
| Bridge Rework | Do not use supplementary solder flux for rework of bridges, as it may cause contact problems. |
| Iron Tip Temperature | Keep soldering iron tip temperature below the specified limit (Table A). |
| Handling Single Components | Details |
|---|---|
| Dropping | Do not drop or allow parts to fall from workbenches. |
| Terminal Force | Handle with care; excessive force on terminals can cause warping, come-out, or weaken solder adhesion. |
| Insertion/Removal (Unsoldered) | Do not insert or remove the connector when it is not soldered. External pressure can weaken terminal adherence or cause unevenness. |
| Precautions for Mating | Details |
|---|---|
| Mating Method | Take care not to mate connectors by press-fitting while inlets are not matched, strongly pressing and twisting, or tilted mating, to prevent deformation or damage to contacts and molding. |
| Cleaning Flux from PC Board | Details |
|---|---|
| Cleaning Requirement | No need to clean this product. If cleaning, pay attention to prevent negative effects. |
| Cleaning Solvent | Keep cleaning solvent clean and prevent contact contamination. Pure water passed liquid solvent is recommended, as strong solvents may dissolve molded parts and characters. |
| Handling PC Board After Mounting | Details |
|---|---|
| Cutting/Bending | When cutting or bending the PC board after mounting, be careful not to subject soldered sections to excessive force. |
| Storage of Connectors | Details |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Avoid storing in high humidity areas to prevent voids or air pockets from reflow soldering heat. |
| Color Variation | Color may vary between connectors from different production lots. Slight color change from UV exposure is normal and does not affect operation. |
| Stacking | When storing assembled boards, be careful not to stack them in a way that subjects connectors to excessive forces. |
| Dust | Avoid storing in dusty locations, as dust accumulation can cause improper connections. |
| Other Notes | Details |
|---|---|
| Electrical State | Do not remove or insert electrified connectors (carrying current or applying voltage). |
| Dropping/Mishandling | Dropping or rough mishandling may bend or damage terminals, hindering proper reflow soldering. |
| Insertion/Removal Before Soldering | Try not to insert or remove the connector more than necessary before soldering. |
| PC Board Coating | When coating the PC board, ensure the coating does not get on the connector to prevent insulation deterioration. |
| Production Lot Color Variations | Variations in product colors from different production lots are normal. |
| Switching Use | Connectors are not designed for switching applications. |
| Condensation | Product failures due to condensation are not covered by warranty. |
| Sample Orders | Details |
|---|---|
| Delivery Condition | Sample connectors for confirming proper mounting are delivered in 50-piece units on an embossed tape. Reels are also available upon customer request. |