HiLo Interconnect

Flexible, High-Reliability Solution for Board-to-Board and BGA Socketing

HiLo Interconnect allows for quick, solder-free removal and replacement of BGA components and modules

Our revolutionary HiLo connector system uses standard PCB materials and processes to create a connector with a pin-out optimized for your system.

HiLo and custom board-to-board interconnect products are commonly used in military, aerospace and high-reliability applications, and also compete well in cost-driven applications.

Typical Applications for HiLo Connectors

BGA Socketing

Board-to-Board

Highs

High-Density: 0.8mm pitch and above
High-Speed: 1 dB cut-off at 9.3 GHz
High-I/O: Can be supplied with over 2000 I/O
High-Reliability: Au-plated, Cu alloy contacts
High-Speed Assembly: Pick and place compatible

Lows

Low-Profile: Socket height less than 2mm
Low-Cost: Nominal cost at high volume
Low-Insertion Force: One ounce per contact
Low Tooling Cost

Flexibility

Wide Applications: Production IC socket, module interconnect, board-to-board, flex to PCB
Quick Delivery: Prototypes as fast as 2 weeks
Design freedom for mixed pitch, selectively populated, and non-grid arrays
CTE Compliant

HiLo Connector Design

HiLo consists of 2 contacts:
A pin (male) and socket (female)

Pin (male)

Base material: Phosphor Bronze (typical)
Plating: Gold over Nickel (typical)
Diameter 0.3mm (0.012”) for 1mm pitch +
Diameter 0.2mm (0.008”) for 0.8mm pitch +

Socket (female)

Base material: Beryllium Copper
Plating: Selective Gold over Nickel (typical)
Different contacts tooled for different pitch

HiLo Cross-section View

In House HiLo Manufacturing

HiLo uses a standard, high-volume production process to make custom product variants

Data driven process: Engineering files load directly into production equipment
Standard panel size eliminates job-specific tooling
Automated optical inspection ensures quality on 100% of units manufactured
Standard materials + standard process + unique data file = custom product

HiLo housings are manufactured from drilled laminate instead of molded plastic

Improved Solder Joint Reliability

For large area array connectors, a CTE mismatch between the connector and PCB materials can result in significant stresses and failures under thermal cycling applications. HiLo minimizes these CTE mismatch stresses by utilizing a laminate with a CTE similar to the customer’s PCB.

Better Flatness

Drilled laminate connectors also exhibit less warp and twist during reflow compared to molded connectors. ISI’s HiLo designs have a tendency to conform to the substrate material during reflow resulting in high quality, reliable solder joints.

HiLo is available with the following laminate materials: (custom laminates possible upon request)

Resin	Ta	X-Y CTE	Dielectric Constant
FR4	125° C	10-14	3.9 – 4.5
High Temp Epoxy	210° C	10-14	3.6 – 3.7
Polymide	250° C	6-9	3.6