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PRECI-DIP DURTAL SA · CH-2800 DELEMONT APRIL 2004 · NO. 15

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Lead free road mapPreci-Dip lead free road map aheadof EU plan

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PIP / THR TechnologyOpens the way to a newsoldering method

News Flash...

R&D closely inter-linkedwith production engineering

Parallel-mount SMDSpring loaded connector

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PRECI-DIP DURTAL SA · CH-2800 DELEMONT WWW.PRECIDIP.COM

In the last issue of Swissconnect, I announcedmore sporadic publications of my editorial.Yet, Swissconnect No 15 is the first in 2004– a year expected to bring back growth, aswell as expanding markets and profits. Letme, therefore, say a few words about whatwe have done in the period of low economy(lying hopefully behind us) in order to beprepared to face the expected evolving mar-ket situation.

The most precious advantage of periods ofslow economy consists of the fact that thereis more time available for planning thefuture. By this I don’t just mean stream-lining operations and organisation, as thisshould actually be a permanent process. Tomy understanding, it is more essential togo ahead with investments, which are dif-ficult to put to work when the productionunits are at full load.

Consequently, we have implemented a num-ber of important improvements at produc-tion level. The most important one consistsof the construction of a new facility toaccommodate electroplating equipment ofthe latest generation. This will allow us tooffer a greater variety of surface protections.In particular, our capabilities in new, lead-free protections will respond to the com-ing requirements of the connector market.

Moreover, our new waste-water treatmentinstallation (some details may be found inSwissconnect No 14) will contribute to asustained development coping with theterms and conditions of the ISO 14001 envi-ronmental certification.

CONNECT US !

Swiss Connect is a free newsletter published by Preci-Dip Durtal SA and is available on paper andPDF file. For detailed product information please contact your Preci-Dip dealer (see address on bot-tom of page 8) or call Preci-Dip Durtal International Division at CH-2800 Delémont (Switzerland).

Preci-Dip Durtal SARue Saint-Maurice 34, P.O.Box 341CH-2800 Delémont / Switzerland

Phone: +41 (0)32 421 04 00Fax: +41 (0)32 421 04 01E-mail: sales@precidip.com

info and products online : www.precidip.com

In a way, economical fluctuations can becompared to the succession of the seasonsin nature. When looking at our present sit-uation, we have obviously come to the endof a harsh winter period but just as innature, the cold season is probably animportant condition for better growth inspring. In the case of too mild winter peri-ods, one can hear the farmers complain...In terms of our company, I think it was alsoa great opportunity to evaluate what hadbeen done previously, and to anticipate theneeds we will have to face and to invest inthe future.

What I said is only possible if the pastgrowth has been a well-monitored one, inorder to keep sound financial structures.This is a condition sine qua non, whichmust be fulfilled before one can act in thisway during economic slowdowns.

We did it this way. And – as soon as mar-kets come back to expansion, you, as ourcustomer will find Preci-Dip capable andresponsive, offering up-to-date technologyand better products, combined with theservice and support of our team of compe-tent, knowledgeable associates.

For your own growth and competitiveness,this being understood, we are aware of thefact that our customers’ success is also ours.

Sincerely,

Pierre Lehmann, CEO

Not all bad...Periods of recession also have a useful side

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PRECI-DIP DURTAL SA · CH-2800 DELEMONT WWW.PRECIDIP.COM

The directive 2002/95/ECThis directive stipulates that according tothe planned restriction of so-called «haz-ardous sustances» following the RoHS andthe 2002/96/EC «Waste of Electrical andElectronic Equipment» (WEEE) listings,the solder and plating alloys containing leadused for electronic components and equip-ment must be replaced by lead free solu-tions before 01/07/2006.

Positive test results with «whisker free»tin platingComprehensive evaluation and testing ofvarious possibilities brought our choice tothe whisker free tin plating process – withvery satisfying results. The solderability ofwhisker free tin plated components is very

good. Moreover, this lead free plating is com-patible with almost all known lead free alloysand also with conventional tin-lead alloys.

Moderate impact on price levelIn some cases, the higher temperaturesinvolved with lead free soldering processeswill require the replacement of existing insu-lator bodies with plastics resisting to thehigher temperatures. This is presently beingevaluated. In general, the influence on pricesis expected to be a moderate one.

Time schedule of the introduction of leadfree tin plating2nd quarter 2004 :installation of plating equipment andprocess; test runs and process qualification.

3rd quarter 2004 :first lead free plated contacts available.

4th quarter 2004 :new Preci-Dip catalog containing info onthe available lead free plated sockets and con-nectors with part number and new price list.

1st quarter 2005 :availability of the main standard sockets andconnector lines with lead free tin plating.

Preci-Dip lead free road map ahead of EU planPositive test results allow to go ahead with lead free products

SMD connector with spring action paral-lel to board surfaceAs for the 811/813 series, this new connec-tor is of the surface mount type, althoughspring action takes place in parallel to theboard surface.Mechanical assembly of the PCBs can thusbe rectangular with a direct connection oncorresponding contact pads on the otherboard. End to end connections of boardswith a dead connector as a counter pieceare also an interesting option.

With an overall length of the contacts ofonly 9 mm, this connecting device is verycompact and space-saving.

Reflow soldering with good mechanicalstrength As the side of the contacts is not completelycounter-sunk into the insulator body thereis an important metallic surface availablefor a good, solid connection with the boardby means of reflow soldering.Lead free, gold plated contacts and the hightemperature insulator body make this con-nector totally compatible with all therequirements of lead free technology.

Easy pick and place assembly without anyclip-onsAutomatic assembly with vacuum nozzlehandling systems is easy, as the top of theconnector is absolutely flat and requires noadditional clip-on device.

AvailabilityThe new 8PM-11-xxxx-02-131 series is read-ily available with 2 to 10 poles to begin with.T & R packaging is also available on request.

New, parallel-mount SMD spring-loaded connectorAdditional assembly options thanks to innovative connector design

Our time schedule is thus well in linewith the EC directive as mentioned above;the first deliveries of contacts with leadfree plating will even be possible a fullone and a half years ahead of EU plan.

Main characteristicsOverall contact length 9 mm providesfor minimum space requirementWorking travel of the contact pistons1.5 mmNominal contact force 0.2 N (initial);0.9 N at 0.7 mm travelMinimum life : 50.000 cyclesElectrical contact resistance 10mΩmaximumMaximum current per contact: 3 A con-tinuous; 7 A peak

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PRECI-DIP DURTAL SA · CH-2800 DELEMONT WWW.PRECIDIP.COM

Connectors with surface mount termina-tions, the simplest approachThese connectors are assembled and sol-dered the same way as all the other SMDcomponents. They come with either verticalor horizontal gull wing terminations or withour unique floating contacts.Floating contacts with SMD terminationsplaced underneath the insulator are spacesaving and compensate for unevenly dis-pensed solder paste and planarity errors ofthe PCB. On the other hand, gull wing ter-minations provide for good mechanicalstrength and easier in-circuit testing.

Many of our products are available with SMDterminations in one or more of the aboveversions: floating pin (FP), gull wing verti-cal mount (GV) or horizontal mount (GH):

Alternative solutions for better mechani-cal strengthSometimes, the pertinence of connectorswith SMD terminations is questionedbecause of the limitation of the mechanicalstrength which depends solely on the adher-ence of the conductive layers to the printedcircuit board.

In cases where the application demands bet-ter mechanical strength, connectors withthrough-hole or press-fit terminations maybe preferable.

In the past, through-hole connectors wereassembled with the fully equipped, reflowsoldered SMD board and then soldered byhand or on wave soldering equipment. Inaddition to the considerable cost issue, theadditional soldering operation doubles thetemperature stress on the PCB.In the case of press-fit terminations, thePCB also undergoes an additional, costlyassembly operation.

PIP / THR technology provides a new andbetter answerThe PIP (pin-in-paste) or THR (through-hole reflow) technology actually makesthrough-hole components compatible withthe SMD reflow soldering process withoutany additional operations. The solutionappears to be ideal, yet it requires goodcompliance with a certain number ofparameters:

- Suitability of the connector- Dimension of PCB holes/connector pins- Deposit of solder paste- Assembling system- Soldering temperature profile- Inspection

An additional advantage of the through-holesolution lies in the fact that flatness prob-lems do not exist anymore. This is an impor-tant factor for connectors of more than 30mm in length which are difficult to guar-antee with a coplanarity of 0.1 mm.

Choosing the right connectorHT (high temperature) insulators are thefirst condition. They must withstand the

Connectors for surface mount PCB assembliesPIP / THR technology opens the way to a new, time saving soldering method

DIL sockets: FP, GVBGA, PGA sockets FPPLCC sockets GV2.54 mm pitch connectors FP, GV, GH2 mm pitch connectors GV, GH1.27 mm pitch connectors GV, GH1 mm pitch connectors GHSpring-loaded connectors FP

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PRECI-DIP DURTAL SA · CH-2800 DELEMONT WWW.PRECIDIP.COM

temperatures of the reflow process with bothconventional tin-lead and lead free alloys,which will become the standard in the nearfuture (higher soldering temperature). Mostof our connecting products are availablewith HT insulators.In the case of automatic assembly, the pre-cision of the pin position is important anda flat surface on top of the connector is nec-essary for the vacuum nozzle of pick andplace systems.

PCB hole and connector pin dimensionsThe quality of the through-hole solderingjoints when using the PIP process dependsto a large extent on the filling degree of thespace between the pin and the hole.According to the IPC (Institute for Inter-connecting and Packaging Electronic Cir-cuits) a filling degree of 75% is consideredto be sufficient. Consequently, it is neces-sary to provide for an adequate amount ofsolder paste inside the hole and on the padsurface.The clearance between pin and hole shouldnot be too big, whereas the shape of the pinis less important. The tip however shouldbe rounded, in order to avoid pushing out ofsolder paste when the pin is introduced.Also, protrusion of the soldering pin under-neath the PCB should not exceed 1.5 mm.

Solder paste deposits must be sufficientUnlike in wave soldering, no soldering mate-rial is applied during the PIP solderingprocess itself. Therefore, it is important thatthe amount of solder paste applied by serig-raphy (or stencil printing) is sufficient. As paste application takes place only on thecomponent side of the board, the screen orstencil (oversized apertures for the solder-ing pads), the application parameters (bladespeed and angle) as well as the viscosity ofthe solder paste must be optimised so as tofill the holes properly.Moreover, it is necessary to take into accountthat solder paste consists of a compound oftiny tin globules and flux. The latter meltsaway during the soldering process, whichresults in a volume reduction of up to 45 to55%.

Packaging for automatic assemblyNormally, SMD components are assembledon automatic equipment. To this end, thecomponents must be available with Tape &Reel packaging according to the EIA-481standard.

Geometry and size of connectors and sock-ets can cause a problem as they are oftennot compatible with standard tapes avail-able on the market. Additionally, it may benecessary to add a snap on, pick and placecap for automatic equipment.In addition to our own semi-automatic andautomatic tape loading machines we dis-pose of equipment to produce tapes withspecific cavities, allowing for connectorswith 24 poles (2.54 mm pitch) or even 30poles (2 mm pitch) per row on a 72 mmwide tape.

Assembly of low volumesIn the case of low volumes, it may be prefer-able to implant the connectors manually.This is often the best solution, especiallywhen the size and shape of the componentsmake handling with current pick and placeequipment difficult.

Reflow temperature profileThe presence of PIP components on theboard requires a reflow temperature profilewell adapted to the process on convection orvapour phase reflow ovens. Special attention must be paid to the dan-ger of solder paste dripping off the compo-nent during the oven’s initial heating stages.

Inspection of the solder jointsA first indication of the resulting quality canbe obtained by means of visual inspectionof the appearance and shape of the solderjoints.Final process validation must be based onadditional X Ray inspection and polishedmicrograph sections. These methods are theonly way to get accurate information aboutthe filling degree inside the holes.

PCB with plated through-hole

Paste application Connectors on tape & reel for pick andplace processing

PCB with assembled component

Assembly reflow soldered

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PRECI-DIP DURTAL SA · CH-2800 DELEMONT WWW.PRECIDIP.COM

No room for fortuitiesGood products don’t just emerge like that.In addition to our policy to be productive,competitive and innovative, a good, appli-cation-oriented connection product requiresclose inter-linking between the design andthe production engineering crews.In a way, this type of teamwork is the mostefficient connection between a given appli-cation requirement and a product perfectlyfit to solve the problem.Our policy to make our products right fromscratch goes far beyond the common mean-ing of «manufacturing». It implicates in-depth knowledge of many different tech-nologies and a broad understanding of bothproduct design and production engineering.

Dedicated production equipmentMost of the operations in production arebased on conventional techniques. Still, theproduct characteristics and size, as well asthe production volumes, require the designof new, dedicated machinery and automaticdevices. This is frequently the best – andoften the only – answer to a given problem.It also permits us to follow a consistent linein adhering to our strategy of a fully inte-grated production flow.

20,000 purchase numbers are not enoughActually, one might think that with morethan 20,000 purchase numbers, one shouldbe able to find the right product to solvealmost any connection problem.

However, new requests coming in daily fromour sales organisation prove the contrary.Connection technology evolves at a fast rate.Spring-loaded contacts, just to name anexample, came up from almost nothing toconsiderable volumes in a very short time.They generated and continue to generatemany new and innovative connector designs,and the trend persists.

Feasibility study before design kick-offAs early as in the feasibility study, the basicconcept is initiated. Not only must the prod-uct respond to a number of target specifi-cations; its design also has to be convenientin terms of cost-effective manufacturing. At this stage, design suggestions and anoverall review of the concept in partnershipwith the customer optimises the basic con-cept before accumulating expenses. Thanksto the practical experience of our engineers,the approach is straightforward and cost-effective.

Experience plus up-to-date design toolsOnce the basic concept is validated, our grad-uate engineers will proceed with the actualdesign using the latest Design tools, suchas CoCreate and OneSpaceDesigner. Theideas and principles laid down in the basicconcept are thus converted to an industrialproduct in a very short time.3D construction and 2D drafting or springforce calculation, are routine activities atthe design office. New product releases and

engineering changes are managed by meansof the SAP R/3 basic data system and theWorkManager technical data base.

Where design ideas become reality: themechanical workshopThe mechanical workshop, with its crew ofprofessional engineers in mechanical, elec-trical and automation technologies, buildsthe dedicated equipment. Large mechani-cal parts or batches of components comefrom our specialised sister company Métafil-LaGirolle and are assembled in-house.Injection moulds are also made in-house.To this end, a comprehensive range of pre-cision machine-tools, including surfacegrinders, die-sinking machines and wire-cut EDM systems for electrical dischargemachining, guarantee the quality and quickoperational availability of these tools.

Maintenance is of the essence ...Once production is running, preventivemachine and tool maintenance is vital inorder to avoid any production breakdowns.This is also ensured by the specialists in themechanical workshop. Semi-automatic orfull CNC grinders provide for timely re-sharpening of cutting and milling tools withspecial carbide inserts as used in screwmachining and secondary operations.

... and so is rapid industrialisation.Time-to-market can make the differencebetween success or failure. Our philosophyof offering the full range of capabilities fromthe first product idea to the industrialisedproduct allows us to be flexible, responsiveand innovative. And - even more important- to bring in adequate results fast.The local area offers an ideal pool of knowl-edge with specialists in micro mechnanicaltechniques and several colleges in engi-neering and science. We actively supportthis by offering many opportunities fortrainees in on-site practice - tomorrow’sexperts.An additional important argument for ourability to assure quick tooling-up and indus-trialisation can be found in the integrationof design and production engineering in thesame design office.

An ideally placed production siteThe Preci-Dip Production facility covers asurface of 18000 m2 (193500 sq. ft.) in theindustrial area of Delémont, Switzerland.Located in the heart of Europe, at a distanceA 6-axes tool grinder is shaping the carbide cutters, milling tools and drills used in our machining operations.

Paving the way for better productsR & D closely inter-linked with production engineering

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PRECI-DIP DURTAL SA · CH-2800 DELEMONT WWW.PRECIDIP.COM

of only 40 km from Basel International Air-port, Preci-Dip produces connectors andmachined contacts which are shipped expe-diently to customers all over the world.

Leading position in machined contacts andinterconnect devicesWithin less than 20 years, we have becomeone of the world leaders in machined con-tacts and specific interconnect devices witha fully vertical production unit. In otherwords, Preci-Dip products are made rightfrom the scratch, from the raw material tothe end product which means: full qualityand cost control throughout all the stagesof production.New, innovative products and manufactur-ing methods continuously strengthen ourposition in the world market.The aerial view on top of this page showsthe complete facility and indicates wherethe 15 divisions described below are located.

1. Screw machining- 240 machines to turn cylindrical parts - 130 millions pieces/week- Up to 150 pieces/min- 30% more productivity thanks to double work head

patented design - From 1.83 to 6 mm bar diameter- Up to 150 pieces/min

Material : Brass or bronze wire in drums

2. Secondary operations- 85 machines to complete machining of some turned parts- 30 to 100 pieces/min - Typical operations: bleeding hole, WW pin, solder cup,

eye-of-a-needle pressfit, slanted face, polarising flat- Multi-station rotary table machines (6 or 8 positions

3. Clip stamping - 10 stamping presses- 130 millions clips per week- Up to 700 pieces/min- Material : BeCu material, heat treated and deburred - 35 multi-finger clip references with 3,4 or 6 fingers

4. Injection moulding- 25 machines including latest fully programmable

control- Machine capacity: 15 to 90 tons- Over 2 million parts per week- Material : Thermoplastic material PBT, PCT, PA, LCP - Epoxy plate machining for prototypes and small series

with triple head PCB drilling machine

5. Plating lines- 4 fully automated plating lines of the oscillant vibratory

basket type- New Au plating line with chemical Ni cells

- 180 Mio part per week- Layer deposition: Nickel, Tin/Lead, Gold- Database with each reference plating process condi-

tions (time, current, sequence, surface)- Chemical lab for plating bathes and waste water treat-

ment analysis and maintenance - Waste water treatment installation with ultra filtration

system

6. Contact assembly - 140 contact assembly machines for the insertion of the

clip in the contact body- 150 millions contacts per week assembly capacity

7. Connector assembly - 140 assembly machines and equipment- Final assembly of the contact in the insulator- Assembly PCB connectors, IC and PGA sockets - Equipment for bending tails (right angle connectors)- Inspection and test systems- Capacity 80 millions assembled contacts per week

8. Spring coiling- 5 miniature spring coiling machines- Up to 240 pieces/min- Material: music wire or stainless steel (usual dia 0.10

to 0.20mm)- In-build, closed loop measuring system with self adjust-

ment of spring length

9. Assembly of Spring-Loaded Contacts- 20 spring loaded assembly machines Additional capac-

ity under preparation (15 basic machines ready to betooled up)

- Spring loaded contact assembly machines - Over 10 million contacts per week assembly capacity- Multi-station rotary table type

Components loading / Crimping press / In-line func-tionality checks

10. Inspection and test lab - Laboratory for dimensional, mechanical, electrical and

environmental testing - First article inspection and new product qualification

11. Mechanical Workshop- Development and realisation of automatic assembling

equipment- Realisation of mould tool- Maintenance team for production equipment

12. Raw material stock- Brass and bronzeBeCu- Injection moulding plastics- Packaging- 28 tons raw material consumption per week- 900 km of brass wire per week

13. Finished product stock and shipping area - Stock level managed by SAP R/3- Over 12,000 references available from stock- T&R packaging

14. Sales and Marketing Department- 15 people (6 KAM – 9 Sales Assistants)- Language spoken French, English, German, Spanish,

Italian, Japanese, Finish

15. Administration and R&D office- 12 employees for administration, accounting, design

office- ERP by SAP R/3 - Manufacturing planning and purchasing- CoCreate design software

PRECI-DIP DURTAL SA · CH-2800 DELEMONT WWW.PRECIDIP.COM

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Customised 6-pole connector

This customer-specific 6-pole connector isequipped with spring-loaded contacts at 10mm center distance. It establishes the electrical connection offood and beverage conveyor trolleys in aero-planes. In addition to the electrical powersupply of the trolley, various control andsafety functions (temperature, trolley posi-tioning etc.) are also ensured.The spring-loaded contacts are availablewith a spring force of up to 8,5 N and havea working travel of 2 mm.The connector is available with an O-Ringsealing on request, in order to make it suit-able for harsh environments.

Connector for food and beverage conveyortrolleys in aeroplanes with 6 spring-loadedcontacts at 10 mm center distance. Springforce up to 8.5 N, working travel 2 mm.

Specific 13-pole dual-purpose connector

Following the dimensional specificationsestablished by the customer, this 13-poleconnector for inductive flow measuringequipment constitutes the sealed cover ofthe pluggable sensor module.Preci-Dip female contacts with gold-platedclips guarantee reliable connections withlow electrical resistance for timesavingassembly, calibration and maintenance.The matching male connector used is aseries 804 type with gold-plated machinedprecision pin contacts.Design, including the production of theinjection moulds, were entirely carried outby Preci-Dip engineering.

Dual-purpose customer specific 13 way con-nector for sensor cabinets of inductive flowmeasuring equipment.

SMD connector with stabilising pegs

This customer specific SMD connector wasconceived for an application requiring anaccurately maintained position on theprinted circuit board during the reflow sol-dering process.Additional pegs at both ends of the connec-tor prevent any radial displacement of thecomponent during the melting phase in thereflow oven. This space-saving solution thusguarantees a stable and absolutely accuratepositioning.The connector exists in a single and a dou-ble row version and is equipped with stan-dard spring-loaded contacts with SMD sol-dering pads.

Single or double row SMD connector withadditional pegs to maintain accuratenessof position during reflow soldering.

New customised products for top resultsOptimised cost-performance ratio at customer end

CONNECT US ! For additional information and documentation, contact your local Preci-Dip partner:

YOU WANT PRECISE CONNECTION SOLUTION ...