Board-to-board (BTB) connectors are designed to connect printed circuit boards (PCBs) together in a stackable way. They’re super handy because they can adjust to different PCB layouts, spacing, and size limitations, giving you a lot of flexibility in your designs. Plus, you’ve got options for materials, plating finishes, and pitches to match your specific electrical and mechanical needs. Depending on what you’re trying to achieve, you can choose connectors that are high-speed, floating, or power-specific. To get the performance you want, all these factors need to be considered when designing your interconnect system.

Board-to-Board Connectors

Types of Board-to-Board Connectors

Pin Headers
Pin headers (male) and female headers (sockets) work as a pair. A male pin header is just a row (or rows) of metal pins set into a plastic base. They’re simple and, because of that, they’re the most affordable option.

Pin Headers

Female Headers
Female headers are the matching sockets for male pin headers. Together, they let you easily connect PCBs and swap them out if one of the headers gets damaged—pretty convenient!

Female Headers

Box Headers
Box headers take it up a notch by adding a plastic shroud around the header. This shroud helps guide the connectors during mating, making it easier to align them correctly and avoid mistakes.

Box Headers

High-Speed Connectors

High-speed connectors are built for industrial applications where fast data transmission is a must. They’re made with sturdy terminals and high-temperature-resistant plastic to handle tough conditions. Thanks to their unique contact design, they keep the impedance profile steady, which helps cut down on noise and signal loss. This means you can count on secure data transmission speeds of up to 4Gbps—pretty impressive for keeping things running smoothly!

High-speed connectors

Board-to-Board Connectors in Panasonic

Panasonic’s Board-to-Board Connectors are perfect for low-profile designs. They come in pitches ranging from 0.35mm to 0.5mm and offer various mated heights to fit different applications.

Narrow (Fine) Pitch Connectors

• High-Reliability Contact Structure
  Panasonic’s “tough contact” design is a game-changer, giving you the reliability you need for cutting-edge devices like computers or wearables. Our lineup includes both Board-to-Board and Board-to-FPC options. Plus, Panasonic’s team of technical engineers is here to provide hands-on support—from design to manufacturing. With these connectors, you’ll take your applications to the next level!

High Current Connectors

Need connectors for power-heavy applications? Panasonic has you covered. Our High Current Board-to-Board Connectors are designed for connections to power sources or batteries. They feature low-profile mated heights, excellent reliability, and use Panasonic’s signature Tough Contact technology.

Features:

• High current rating
• Multiple high-current lines
• Tough contact construction
• Smooth insertion guide
• Solder terminals at each corner

Benefits:

• Fewer pins needed for power contacts
• Any pin can function as a power contact
• Highly reliable contact structure
• Secure connection with a satisfying tactile feel
• Stronger mounting for better durability

What are the orientation options for connectors?

PCB orientation refers to how two PCBs are positioned relative to each other when connected by BTB connectors. Here are some common options:

To handle different orientations—like parallel, horizontal, and perpendicular—board-to-board connectors come in various designs, such as straight, right-angle, and U-shaped.

How do we stack PCBs?

With the push for miniaturization, lightweight designs, and high-speed performance, designers face a lot of mechanical and electrical challenges. Greenconn offers solutions to make stacking PCBs easier, no matter the layout.

Vertical (Parallel, Mezzanine)

Both connectors are positioned vertically, allowing one PCB to be stacked on top of another. This saves surface space—great for compact designs!

Horizontal (180° Coplanar, Edge-to-Edge)

Both connectors are horizontal, keeping the mating centerline low-profile with the PCBs. It’s sleek and practical for certain layouts.

Perpendicular (Motherboard to Daughterboard)

Here, the connectors are perpendicular to each other. This setup is common in applications like hard drives, where multiple "daughterboards" connect to a single motherboard, expanding data storage efficiently.

Why stack PCBs?

Modular design: Breaking a design into smaller PCBs makes assembly easier. You can connect them later with BTB connectors, which also makes updates or changes much simpler.

Better manufacturability: Working with smaller PCBs is easier than managing one large board during production.

Improved EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility): Stacking PCBs in layers can help reduce electromagnetic interference, making your design more robust.

Stacking PCBs

What are connector pitches?

Connector pitch is the distance between the center of one contact and the center of the next. For connectors with multiple rows, the pitch within a row and the pitch between rows can be different.

Connector pitch

When picking the right connector pitch, hardware designers need to think about a few key factors:

• Space Constraints: A smaller pitch means a smaller connector, which is great if you’re working with tight spaces. Plus, smaller pitches can pack more contacts into the same area.
• Electrical Parameters: The pitch size is directly tied to electrical specs like current rating and dielectric strength.
• Other Physical Constraints: Depending on your design, Greenconn has plenty of low-profile connector options in all pitch sizes. And if you need something custom, they’ve got you covered.

Greenconn’s board-to-board connectors come in the following row configurations:

• Single Row: Simple and compact, perfect for straightforward designs.
• Double Row: A popular choice for designs needing more connections in a limited space.
• Triple & Quadruple Rows: Great for higher-density designs, though available in fewer pitch and style options.

Greenconn offers headers and receptacles across all these configurations to fit your needs.

Greenconn

What are the Connector Contact Materials and Plating?

Base Material
Our connectors usually use copper alloys for the contact pins. The choice of material affects conductivity and durability, so let’s break down the common options Greenconn offers:

• BrassMost affordable optionStrong with good spring propertiesDecent conductivity
• Phosphor BronzeGreat balance of strength and conductivitySuper elasticExcellent fatigue resistance
• Beryllium Copper (Be-Cu)Top-notch strength and conductivityHighly expansive and versatile

Plating
Plating plays a big role in the connector’s performance, lifespan, quality, and cost. It’s done in two stages: underplating and finish plating.

• UnderplatingThis layer improves performance by acting as a diffusion barrier (like stopping Zn and Cu from moving through gold) and protecting the base metal from contamination. It also helps the finish plating stick better.Nickel is the go-to underplate because it offers:Corrosion resistanceWear resistanceSolderability
• Finish PlatingThe final layer that boosts conductivity and overall performance. There are several options based on your needs and budget:Gold PlatingExcellent corrosion resistanceGreat conductivity with low electrical resistanceHigh costTin PlatingGood solderability and conductivityLess durable; prone to forming oxide filmsAffordableTwo types: bright tin and matte tinBright Tin: Shiny finish, good corrosion resistance, but less solderable.Matte Tin: Dull finish, not as pretty but better corrosion resistance without losing solderability.Selective Gold-Tin PlatingCombines tin on the tail and gold on the contact area.Offers a nice balance of gold’s benefits and tin’s affordability.

Packaging Options
Packaging isn’t just about looks—it’s key for protecting goods during shipping and making it easy for the receiver to unpack them.

Here are the packaging options available for Board-to-Board connectors:

• Bulk (PE bag or small box)
• Trays
• Tubes
• Tubes with Pick and Place (P&P) Cap or Kapton tape
• Tape and Reel (T&R) with Pick and Place (P&P) Cap or Kapton tape
• Tape and Reel (T&R)
• Custom Packaging

Whatever your needs, there’s a packaging option to suit your project!

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