PANASONIC AXE614124D

Important Usage Notes for Narrow Pitch Connectors

To ensure safe and reliable operation, please observe the following safety remarks and design guidelines when using Panasonic narrow pitch connectors.

Safety Remarks:

• Do not use these connectors beyond their specified ratings (current, dielectric strength, environmental conditions). Exceeding specifications may lead to abnormal heating, smoke, or fire.
• Thoroughly review specifications. Contact a sales representative for usage outside of defined parameters. Panasonic Corporation cannot guarantee quality and reliability for such cases.
• While Panasonic strives for continuous improvement, electrical components have a statistical failure probability. Durability varies with usage environments. Test actual components under actual conditions before use. Degraded conditions can lead to insulation deterioration, abnormal heat, smoke, or fire. Implement safety designs (redundancy, fire spread prevention, malfunction prevention) to prevent injury, death, fire, or social damage.

Design of Devices and PC Board Patterns:

• Board-to-Board Connectors: Do not connect a pair of boards with multiple connectors to avoid mating failure or product breakage due to misalignment. Panasonic does not guarantee failures caused by using multiple connectors.
• Mounting Equipment Errors: Account for potential positioning errors (0.2-0.3 mm) when designing PC boards and patterns.
• Positioning Tabs: If connectors have positioning tabs, design PC boards with matching positioning holes.
• Mechanical Strength: Ensure PC boards meet recommended pattern design dimensions for required mechanical strength during soldering.
• PC Board Thickness: Minimize the thickness of cover lay and adhesive to prevent poor soldering, as these connectors have no stand-offs.
• Vibration/Impact: Design a means to fix the PC board in place (e.g., with screws and spacers) to prevent detachment during vibrations or impacts and to avoid loads on soldered portions.
• FPC Mounting: To prevent solder detachment from FPC terminals during mating/unmating, attach a reinforcing plate to the backside of the FPC where the connector is mounted. The plate should extend beyond the connector footprint (approx. 0.5-1.0 mm on each side). Recommended materials include glass epoxy or polyimide (0.2-0.3 mm thick) or SUS (0.1-0.2 mm thick).
• Temporary Locking Structure: Due to the temporary locking structure, FPC connectors may separate due to dropping impact, depending on FPC size, weight, or bending force. Implement measures to prevent mating separation.
• Handling: Narrow pitch connectors are designed for compactness. Handle with care during mating to prevent displacement or angled mating, which could damage or deform the connector.

Placement Machine and Mounting Procedures:

• Select placement machines considering connector height, required positioning accuracy, and packaging.
• Avoid excessive chucking force, which can deform the connector body or terminals.
• Be aware that external forces during mounting can deform contact surfaces and terminals.
• For larger connectors, self-alignment may not be possible; carefully position terminals with PC board patterns.
• Positioning bosses offer approximate alignment; use automatic positioning machines for accurate placement.
• Static Electricity: In dry conditions, static electricity can cause products to adhere to carrier tape. Maintain 40-60% RH and use ionizers during manufacturing.

Soldering:

• Reflow Soldering: Measure recommended profile temperatures with a sensor near the connector. Refer to specifications for product-specific temperature settings. Screen printing is recommended for cream solder. Ensure screen opening and PC board foot patterns match recommended dimensions, avoiding increases at terminal bases. Do not use excessive solder to prevent mating interference. If mounting on the underside of a PC board, use adhesives or other means to secure the connector. Solder/flux characteristics vary; consider these when setting reflow temperature and oxygen levels. Do not use resin-containing solder, as it may fix contacts firmly.
• Hand Soldering: Use a soldering iron with a tip temperature below the specified limits (SMD types: 300C within 5 sec., 350C within 3 sec.). Prevent flux from spreading onto connector leads or PC boards. Heat the foot pattern and terminal before applying solder wire. Avoid applying load to terminals during soldering. Clean soldering irons thoroughly. Remove any solder from contact surfaces after soldering. Avoid excessive solder to prevent mating interference.
• Solder Reworking: Complete rework in one operation. Do not use supplementary solder flux for rework to avoid contact problems. Keep soldering iron tip temperature below specified limits.

Handling Single Components:

• Prevent parts from dropping.
• Handle with care to avoid warping, detachment, or weakening of solder adhesion on terminals.

Precautions for Mating:

• Mate connectors carefully to prevent deformation or damage to contacts and molding.
• Avoid reverse insertion. Inserting a connector in the wrong circuit direction can cause circuitry damage.
• Do not insert or remove connectors when not soldered. Forcibly applied external pressure can weaken terminal adherence or cause unevenness.

Cleaning Flux from PC Board:

• No cleaning is required for this product. If cleaning is necessary, use clean solvents and prevent contamination of connector contacts. Pure water-based liquid solvents are recommended as some strong solvents may dissolve molded parts.