PANASONIC AXK6F20347YG

Notes on Using Narrow Pitch Connectors / High Current Connectors

About Safety Remarks

Observe the following safety remarks to prevent accidents and injuries.

• Do not use these connectors beyond the specification sheets. Usage outside of specified rated current, dielectric strength, and environmental conditions may cause circuitry damage via abnormal heating, smoke, and fire.
• In order to avoid accidents, thorough specification review is appreciated. Please contact our sales office if your usage is out of the specifications. Otherwise, Panasonic Corporation cannot guarantee the quality and reliability.
• Panasonic Corporation is consistently striving to improve quality and reliability. However, electrical components and devices generally cause failures at a given statistical probability. Their durability varies with use environments or use conditions. Please check for actual electrical components and devices under actual conditions before use. Continued usage in a degraded condition may cause deteriorated insulation, resulting in abnormal heat, smoke, or firing. Please carry out safety design and periodic maintenance including redundancy design, design for fire spread prevention, and design for malfunction prevention.

Regarding the Design of Devices and PC Board Patterns

• When using board-to-board connectors, do not connect a pair of boards with multiple connectors. Otherwise, misaligned connector positions may cause mating failure or product breakage.
• With mounting equipment, there may be up to a +0.2 to 0.3 mm error in positioning. Design PC boards and patterns while taking into consideration the performance and abilities of the required equipment.
• Some connectors have tabs embossed on the body to aid in positioning. When using these connectors, make sure that the PC board is designed with positioning holes to match these tabs.
• To ensure the required mechanical strength when soldering the connector terminals, make sure the PC board meets recommended PC board pattern design dimensions.
• Control the thicknesses of the cover lay and adhesive to prevent poor soldering. This connector has no stand-off. Therefore, minimize the thickness of the cover lay, etc., to prevent the occurrence of poor soldering.
• For all connectors of the narrow pitch series, to prevent the PC board from coming off during vibrations or impacts, and to prevent loads from falling directly on the soldered portions, design some means to fix the PC board in place (e.g., secure with screws). When connecting PC boards, take appropriate measures to prevent the connector from coming off.
• When mounting connectors on an FPC:
  • When the connector soldered to FPC is mated or unmated, solder detachment may occur due to force on the terminals. Connector handling is recommended when the reinforcing plate is attached to the backside of FPC where the connector is mounted. The external dimension of the reinforcing plate is recommended to be larger than the dimension of Recommended PC board pattern (extended dimension of one side is approximately 0.5 to 1.0 mm). The materials and thickness of the reinforcing plate are glass epoxy or polyimide (thickness 0.2 to 0.3 mm) or SUS (thickness 0.1 to 0.2 mm).
  • As this connector has a temporary locking structure, the connector mating may be separated by dropping impact depending on the size, weight, or bending force of the FPC. Consider measures at usage to prevent mating separation.
• The narrow pitch connector series is designed to be compact and thin. Although ease of handling has been taken into account, take care when mating the connectors, as displacement or angled mating could damage or deform the connector.

Regarding the Selection of the Connector Placement Machine and the Mounting Procedures

• Select the placement machine considering the connector height, required positioning accuracy, and packaging conditions.
• Be aware that if the chucking force of the placement machine is too great, it may deform the shape of the connector body or connector terminals.
• Be aware that during mounting, external forces may be applied to the connector contact surfaces and terminals and cause deformations.
• Depending on the size of the connector being used, self-alignment may not be possible. In such cases, be sure to carefully position the terminal with the PC board pattern.
• The positioning bosses give approximate alignment for positioning on the PC board. For accurate positioning of the connector when mounting it to the PC board, use an automatic positioning machine.
• In case of dry conditions, please note the occurrence of static electricity. The product may adhere to the embossed carrier tape or the cover tape. Recommended humidity is from 40 to 60% RH, and please remove static electricity by ionizer in the manufacturing process.

Regarding Soldering

Reflow Soldering

• Measure the recommended profile temperature for reflow soldering by placing a sensor on the PC board near the connector surface or terminals. (Refer to the specification for detail because the temperature setting differs by products.)
• As for cream solder printing, screen printing is recommended.
• When setting the screen opening area and PC board foot pattern area, refer to the recommended PC board pattern and window size of metal mask on the specification sheet, and make sure that the size of the board pattern and metal mask at the base of the terminals are not increased.
• Pay attention not to provide too much solder. It makes miss mating because of interference at the soldering portion when mating.
• When mounting on both sides of the PC board and the connector is mounted on the underside, use adhesives or other means to ensure the connector is properly fixed to the PC board. (Double reflow soldering on the same side is possible.)
• The condition of solder or flux rise and wettability varies depending on the type of solder and flux. Solder and flux characteristics should be taken into consideration, and also set the reflow temperature and oxygen level.
• Do not use resin-containing solder. Otherwise, the contacts might be firmly fixed.
• Please use the reflow temperature profile conditions recommended below for reflow soldering. Please contact our sales office before using a temperature profile other than that described below (e.g., lead-free solder).
• The temperature profiles given in this catalog are values measured when using the connector on a resin-based PC board. When performing reflow soldering on a metal board (iron, aluminum, etc.) or a metal table to mount on an FPC, ensure there is no deformation or discoloration of the connector before mounting.
• Please contact our sales office when using a screen-printing thickness other than that recommended.

Hand Soldering

• Set the soldering iron so that the tip temperature is less than that given in Table A.
• Do not allow flux to spread onto the connector leads or PC board. This may lead to flux rising up to the connector inside.
• Touch the soldering iron to the foot pattern. After the foot pattern and connector terminal are heated, apply the solder wire so it melts at the end of the connector terminals.
• Be aware that soldering while applying a load on the connector terminals may cause improper operation of the connector.
• Thoroughly clean the soldering iron.
• Flux from the solder wire may get on the contact surfaces during soldering operations. After soldering, carefully check the contact surfaces and clean off any solder before use.
• These connectors are low profile type. If too much solder is supplied for hand soldering, it makes miss mating because of interference at the soldering portion. Please pay attention.

Solder Reworking

• Finish reworking in one operation.
• In case of soldering rework of bridges, do not use supplementary solder flux. Doing so may cause contact problems by flux.
• Keep the soldering iron tip temperature below the temperature given in Table A.

Handling Single Components

• Make sure not to drop or allow parts to fall from the workbench.
• Excessive force applied to the terminals could cause warping, come out, or weaken the adhesive strength of the solder. Handle with care.
• Do not insert or remove the connector when it is not soldered. Forcibly applied external pressure on the terminals can weaken the adherence of the terminals to the molded part or cause the terminals to lose their evenness.

Precautions for Mating

This product is designed with ease of handling. However, in order to prevent the deformation or damage of contacts and molding, take care and do not mate the connectors as shown right.

• Press-fitting while the mating inlets of the socket and header are not matched.
• Strongly pressed and twisted.
• Tilted mating.

Cleaning Flux from PC Board

There is no need to clean this product.

If cleaning it, pay attention to the following points to prevent the negative effect to the product.

• Keep the cleaning solvent clean and prevent the connector contacts from contamination.
• Some cleaning solvents are strong and they may dissolve the molded part and characters, so pure water passed liquid solvent is recommended.

Handling the PC Board

When cutting or bending the PC board after mounting the connector, be careful that the soldered sections are subjected to excessive force.

The soldered areas should not be subjected to force.

Storage of Connectors

• To prevent problems from voids or air pockets due to heat of reflow soldering, avoid storing the connectors in areas of high humidity.
• Depending on the connector type, the color of the connector may vary from connector to connector depending on when it is produced. Some connectors may change color slightly if subjected to ultraviolet rays during storage. This is normal and will not affect the operation of the connector.
• When storing the connectors with the PC boards assembled and components already set, be careful not to stack them up so the connectors are subjected to excessive forces.
• Avoid storing the connectors in locations with excessive dust. The dust may accumulate and cause improper connections at the contact surfaces.

Other Notes

• Do not remove or insert the electrified connector (in the state of carrying current or applying voltage).
• Dropping of the products or rough mishandling may bend or damage the terminals and possibly hinder proper reflow soldering.
• Before soldering, try not to insert or remove the connector more than absolutely necessary.
• When coating the PC board after soldering the connector to prevent the deterioration of insulation, perform the coating in such a way that the coating does not get on the connector.
• There may be variations in the colors of products from different production lots. This is normal.
• The connectors are not meant to be used for switching.
• Product failures due to condensation are not covered by warranty.