Electric Plated Hard Gold PCB Fingers

This page explains what electric plated hard gold PCB fingers are, where they are used, why they cost more, and what production process is involved.

Overview

Since 2002, PCBfabrication.com has provided PCB fingers with three common finish options: HASL PCB fingers, Electroless Nickel / Immersion Gold PCB fingers, and Electric Plated Hard Gold PCB Fingers.

Electric plated hard gold fingers are mainly used for PCB applications that require repeated insertion and removal. Compared with Electroless Nickel / Immersion Gold or HASL PCB fingers, electric plated hard gold fingers offer higher hardness, stronger wear resistance, and better long-term durability. However, the manufacturing cost is significantly higher.

Our electric plated hard gold PCB finger technology is mature and has been trusted by both repeat customers and new customers for demanding connector applications.

Important: Hard gold fingers are usually used only in the connector contact area. They are not normally required on the whole PCB surface.

Capability and Process

Our gold finger plating thickness capability is available in a range commonly requested for connector applications. If your project has a specific hard gold thickness requirement, please state it clearly in your fabrication notes or RFQ email.

The process of electroplating gold fingers is more complicated than Electroless Nickel / Immersion Gold or HASL PCB fingers. Typical key steps include:

  • Build electroplating leads in the production film
  • Cut copper clad laminate boards
  • Drill holes
  • Copper-pattern transfer
  • Electroplating copper and tin
  • Etching
  • Apply solder mask
  • Electroplate hard gold fingers
  • Routing
  • Electrical testing
  • QC inspection
Recommendation: If your design also requires beveling / chamfering on the edge connector, please mention that separately. Gold fingers and beveled edge are related requirements, but they are not the same.

How to Request a Quote

If you want to order PCBs with electric plated hard gold fingers, please send your Gerber files and detailed requirements to [email protected]. We normally provide a quote within 24 hours.

To reduce follow-up questions, it is better to include the following information:

  • Board thickness
  • Copper weight
  • Gold finger location and dimensions
  • Required hard gold thickness
  • Whether beveling / chamfer is required
  • Quantity and expected lead time

Product Photos

The following are example product photos of electroplated hard gold finger PCBs manufactured by our company.

Electric plated hard gold PCB fingers product photo 1
Example 1 — Hard gold finger PCB sample
Electric plated hard gold PCB fingers product photo 2
Example 2 — Electroplated connector edge fingers

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