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Header Pin Plating and Materials

This page shows the basics of materials and plating for board to board pin headers.

View all Board to Board Connectors

gradconn-board-to-board-pin-plating-and-materials

Base material

Base pins are produced from either brass or phosphor bronze.

Brass

Lowest cost.

Good spring properties and strength.

Reasonably good conductor.

Phosphor Bronze

Good strength and conductivity.

Superior elasticity.

Excellent fatigue resistance.

Plating

Base pins are underplated with nickel and a finish plating added for improved conductivity, high temperature protection and resistance to corrosion and wear. Finish plating is available in variants of gold or tin.

Gold

Excellent corrosion resistance and durability.

Excellent conductivity and low electrical resistance.

Various thicknesses available.

Tin

Excellent solderability and conductivity.

Lower cost.

Available in bright or matte.

Selective

Gold in contact area, tin in solder area.

Tin provides best solderabily in PCB area.

Gold provides best conductivity in mating area.

See GradConn's whole range of board to board connectors here.