Board-to-board connectors: From rugged to high-speed

The right board-to-board connection for every application

Icon Lupe zum Produktfinder
Is your single-board solution no longer sufficient? With our board-to-board connector, you gain the freedom to expand your single-board solutions. We offer the right board-to-board connection for your specific application. The wide range of applications extends from rugged PCB connectors for hammer drills to high-speed board-to-board mezzanine connectors for high-tech computers. With our PCB-to-PCB connectors, we offer data rates ranging from 3 Gbit/s to 16+ Gbit/s. Our PCB connectors feature a number of positions ranging from 12 to 440. If there isn’t enough space for a direct board-to-board connection, our rugged One27 Leiterplatten-connector also offers a wire-to-board option.

Go to the product finder »

Board-to-Board connector: A Comparison

 one27Zero.8Colibri
Datenübertragungsraten
3Gbit/s
16Gbit/s
10 und 16 Gbit/s
Rastermaß
 
1,27 mm
0,8 mm
0,5 mm
Schirmung
ohne Schirmung
ja
ja
nein
mit Schirmung
nein
ja
ja
Polzahlen / Anzahl der Signale
Polzahlen
12
12
40
16
20
80
20
32
120
26
52
160
32
80
220
40
 
440
50
 
 
68
 
 
 
80
 
 
Reihenanzahl
 
2
2
2 und 2x2
Boardabstände
Boardabstand min
8 mm
6 mm
5 mm
Boardabstand max
13,8 mm
21 mm
8 mm
Verbindungsmöglichkeit zweiter und mehrerer Leiterplatten
gerade - parrallele BtB Verbindung
ja
ja
ja
gewinkelt - 90° BtB Verbindung
ja
ja
nein
Cable to Board
ja
nein
nein

The right board-to-board connector for your application

The most important distinguishing features of SMT PCB connectors are the data rates and the pitch. The smaller the pitch and the higher the required connection speed, the greater and more complex the design effort required for the board. In general, a board-to-board connector or wire-to-board connector represents an interference point within the transmission path. Here, you should pay particular attention to impedance, insertion loss, and crosstalk. The higher the quality of a Leiterplatten-connector, the lower the data transmission interference.
One27 2000x1457
ROBUST

Our robust and long-proven One27-connector achieves data rates of 3 Gbit/s. With a pitch of 1.27 mm, it is available with a number of positions ranging from 12 to 80. Board-to-board distances ranging from 8 to 13.8 mm can be achieved. By using the One27, boards can be connected in parallel, at right angles (right-angle), horizontally, and in wire-to-board configurations.

More information on the One27 »
Colibri 2000x1457
HIGH SPEED, PARALLEL

Our ept Colibri PCB Leiterplatten-connector offers data rates of either 10 Gbit/s or 16 Gbit/s. [SG1] The variants of the board-to-board connector with a 0.5 mm pitch have a number of positions ranging from 40 to 220. Board spacings from 5 mm to 8 mm are possible. The Colibri offers excellent data transmission characteristics, and boards can be stacked in parallel [SG2]. The ept Colibri PCB-to-PCB connector was developed for COM Express applications with 220 and 440 contacts. However, the range of applications for this board-to-board connector has since multiplied.

More information about the Colibri »
Zero8 2000x1457
HIGH SPEED, ROBUST, PARALLEL, OR RIGHT-ANGLE

Our ept Zero.8 board-to-board connector offers data rates of up to 16+ Gbit/s. With a pitch of 0.8 mm and ScaleX technology, the number of contacts ranges from 12 to 80 poles. The PCB-to-PCB connector is available in both shielded and unshielded versions. Board spacings from 6 to 21 mm are possible. Compared to the ept Colibri Leiterplatten-connector, the board-to-board connector can be used as a parallel PCB connector or as a right-angle PCB direct connector. This board-to-board connector significantly increases the cost-effectiveness of your design. Thanks to the wide variety of options, the PCB-to-PCB connector can be expanded in all directions.

More information about the Zero8 »

Connecting Printed Circuit Boards - Tips for Your Design

Even relatively early in the development phase, developers need to consider the appropriate direct PCB connection. We have compiled a list of the most important questions you should clarify in advance:

  • Is a single-board solution sufficient?
  • How many signals are required by the board-to-board connector?
  • How much space may the board-to-board connector occupy on the PCB?
  • What data data rate must the PCB-to-PCB connector achieve?
  • What are the requirements for impedance, insertion loss, and crosstalk?
  • What is the maximum assembly size?
  • How should the boards be connected to each other?
  • Is a parallel-stacked PCB connector required?
  • Must the board-to-board connector be mounted right-angle?
  • Or is the only option to establish the PCB connection via a wire-to-board connection?
  • Which components dictate the minimum spacing between the boards?
  • What are the expectations regarding electromagnetic compatibility?
  • How important are shock and vibration resistance, particularly for mobile devices?
  • How important is heat dissipation? Can a different component layout, using the appropriate board-to-board connector, improve heat dissipation and thermal management?
  • What are the environmental conditions under which the end device operates?
  • Do EMI/RFI considerations and concerns require a separation between functions and RF shielding of part of the circuit?
  • Is it likely that an external I/O will need to be replaced on-site?

From single-board computers to industrial PCs: No problem
with the right board-to-board connector

As industrialization and automation advance, the demands placed on systems are constantly increasing. Popular single-board solutions often reach their limits and must be expanded. Board-to-board connector offer a simple and reliable solution.
A board-to-board connector provides maximum flexibility when connecting and disconnecting printed circuit boards. Its primary function is to transmit signals and currents. Typically, a pair of board-to-board connector consists of a Male and a Female. The high quality of our ept connectors stems, among other things, from the ideal alignment of the two connector halves with one another. Our in-depth expertise in contact geometry, contact material, and contact plating, as well as the geometry and material of the insulator for optimal air clearance and creepage distance, makes ept connectors your reliable partner. Automated processing capability, thanks to excellent coplanarity, is a given.

As mentioned earlier, circuit boards can be easily connected to one another with maximum reliability through the use of mated connector pairs. This opens up the possibility of expanding the motherboard with daughtercards. Through clever design, any number of circuit boards can be connected to one another. The limiting factor is the outer housing. Printed circuit boards can be stacked in parallel or connected at a 90° angle. wire-to-board solutions are also possible. As packing density and data rates continue to rise, mezzanine cards offer an ideal way to expand existing applications cost-effectively and flexibly. By using board-to-board connector, modules can be easily replaced. The cost-effectiveness of the computers is enhanced by maximum design flexibility. For example, a carrier board can be equipped with daughtercards performing various functions.

Your message has been sent.

Thank you for your interest—we will process your request as soon as possible.

Contact Form

Fields marked with * are required.

Personal information

Your message

Privacy Policy

You can view our privacy policy here.

Your message has been sent.

Thank you for your interest—we will process your request as soon as possible.

Contact Form

Fields marked with * are required.

Personal information

Recall

Your message

I am interested in

Information materials

Privacy Policy

You can view our privacy policy here.

Thank you very much for your interest

You can download the white paper here:

Download the white paper

Before you can download the white paper, please fill out the following fields. Thank you.

Fields marked with * are required.

Personal information

Privacy Policy

You can view our privacy policy here.

Your message has been sent.

Thank you very much for your interest in our networking event following Electronica. We will review your request and confirm your participation as soon as possible.

Inquiry Form

Fields marked with * are required.

Personal information

Privacy Policy

You can view our privacy policy here.

Thank you very much!

We will contact you shortly to discuss your requirements. We will prepare and send you a detailed report on the high-speed characteristics as well as S-parameter for simulating your own design.

Request HighSpeed specifications and S-parameter to simulate your own design

Fields marked with * are required.
You can view our privacy policy here.

Thank you for your inquiry

We will review your request and get back to you as soon as possible.

Your requirements for the connector

Fields marked with an * are required; please fill them in.

Contact person

Your request

Wrong file format! Please select a PDF or JPG file.
You can view our privacy policy here.

Thank you for your inquiry

We will review your request and get back to you as soon as possible.

Request a quote for connector customization

Fields marked with an * are required; please fill them in.

Contact person

Your request

Wrong file format! Please select a PDF or JPG file.
You can view our privacy policy here.