3 ms·

What PCB thickness is optimal? The USB-C tongue on a shieldless part I use is ~0.7mm, which is a pretty thin PCB.

by 15155 1y ago

webdevver 1y ago
i wonder how often you can plug/replug the connector in this case. how will the pcb material hold up? with my press-fit or clip-fit (is that a term?) 3d prints, ive noticed that 20 cycles can be sufficient to induce substantial 'loosening'.
- ggm-at-algebras 1y ago
  Plug an OTG cable in and connect to that, so you don't repeat plug-unplug?
  - eternityforest 1y ago
    What about the force transferred by the connector wiggling? I think You'd need a very good mechanical design on the case to make it all work.
- Kirby64 1y ago
  It’s likely in the order of 10-30, especially with something like ENIG as a finish. If you wanted more cycles, you’d want to switch to a hard gold finish which would likely increase the cost substantially. This is truly only for a debug port, not anything else.
- AnasMalas 1y ago
  I have posted new test results on the github! It did 110 mating cycles without any major issues
Taniwha 1y ago
They say "use 0.6 mmm" https://x.com/AnasYMalas/status/1982060711670067350 https://x.com/AnasYMalas/status/1982060711670067350
- Taniwha 1y ago
  +copper+ENIG is going to make that 0.7mm
- peteforde 1y ago
  That is a very thin PCB. For anyone reading this, 1.6mm is standard.
  - shadowpho 1y ago
    No…. It really depends where/what industry/what type/how many layers. I would say 1.6mm is pretty thick but it depends.
    - peteforde 1y ago
      Fully agree with the "it depends". FWIW, my slightly more than anecdotal evidence is that 1.6mm is the default thickness at JLCPCB and PCBWay, and they will subtly encourage you to switch to that width if you don't want to pay more or wait longer for them to fill a sheet. Every IC prototype board (eg Proto Advantage) and all of those Adafruit breakout boards are 1.6mm. For these reasons, 1.6mm sure seems like a default if there is one. Is there some JEDEC standard or similar which proves me officially wrong? Happy to learn if so.
      - exmadscientist 1y ago
        It's not 1.6mm, it's actually 1/16", and it's been the standard since the days of yore. It's a super common inch measurement so it's not really a surprise to see it here, if you know your inches. There's tons of 1/16" plywood, for example. A "thick" PCB was commonly 3/32" (0.093") and a "thin" one 1/32" (0.031"). Now of course it's all made in Asia so the metric dimensions predominate (0.8mm, 1.6mm, 2.4mm), but the legacy remains. And of course PCBs aren't really any of these thicknesses, they're whatever the glass weaves press down to in the lamination press....
        peteforde 1y ago

What PCB thickness is optimal? The USB-C tongue on a shieldless part I use is ~0.7mm, which is a pretty thin PCB.

by 15155 1y ago

What PCB thickness is optimal? The USB-C tongue on a shieldless part I use is ~0.7mm, which is a pretty thin PCB.

i wonder how often you can plug/replug the connector in this case. how will the pcb material hold up? with my press-fit or clip-fit (is that a term?) 3d prints, ive noticed that 20 cycles can be sufficient to induce substantial 'loosening'.

ggm-at-algebras 1y ago
Plug an OTG cable in and connect to that, so you don't repeat plug-unplug?
- eternityforest 1y ago
  What about the force transferred by the connector wiggling? I think You'd need a very good mechanical design on the case to make it all work.
Kirby64 1y ago
It’s likely in the order of 10-30, especially with something like ENIG as a finish. If you wanted more cycles, you’d want to switch to a hard gold finish which would likely increase the cost substantially. This is truly only for a debug port, not anything else.
AnasMalas 1y ago
I have posted new test results on the github! It did 110 mating cycles without any major issues

Taniwha 1y ago

They say "use 0.6 mmm" https://x.com/AnasYMalas/status/1982060711670067350 https://x.com/AnasYMalas/status/1982060711670067350

Taniwha 1y ago
+copper+ENIG is going to make that 0.7mm
peteforde 1y ago
That is a very thin PCB. For anyone reading this, 1.6mm is standard.
- shadowpho 1y ago
  No…. It really depends where/what industry/what type/how many layers. I would say 1.6mm is pretty thick but it depends.
  - peteforde 1y ago
    Fully agree with the "it depends". FWIW, my slightly more than anecdotal evidence is that 1.6mm is the default thickness at JLCPCB and PCBWay, and they will subtly encourage you to switch to that width if you don't want to pay more or wait longer for them to fill a sheet. Every IC prototype board (eg Proto Advantage) and all of those Adafruit breakout boards are 1.6mm. For these reasons, 1.6mm sure seems like a default if there is one. Is there some JEDEC standard or similar which proves me officially wrong? Happy to learn if so.
    - exmadscientist 1y ago
      It's not 1.6mm, it's actually 1/16", and it's been the standard since the days of yore. It's a super common inch measurement so it's not really a surprise to see it here, if you know your inches. There's tons of 1/16" plywood, for example. A "thick" PCB was commonly 3/32" (0.093") and a "thin" one 1/32" (0.031"). Now of course it's all made in Asia so the metric dimensions predominate (0.8mm, 1.6mm, 2.4mm), but the legacy remains. And of course PCBs aren't really any of these thicknesses, they're whatever the glass weaves press down to in the lamination press....
      - peteforde 1y ago