Custom PCB Edge Contact Fabrication
Gold Finger PCB Manufacturing
Custom bare PCBs with selective hard-gold edge contacts, nickel underplating and specified bevel geometry. PCBELEC manufactures your board construction and connector interface for prototype and production orders.
Send your board files and connector drawing to sales@pcbelec.com
- Contact Surface Selective Hard Gold
- Mechanical Interface Defined Edge Beveling
- Manufacturing Orders Prototypes to Production
Gold Fingers / PCB Edge Contacts
What Are PCB Gold Fingers?
PCB gold fingers are gold-finished conductive pads positioned near a board edge to mate with a card-edge connector. They form a plug-in electrical interface for the specified signal, power and ground connections.
The interface combines the contact pattern, local plating and mechanical board edge. Finger geometry, gold and nickel requirements, finished edge thickness and bevel details should match the connector specification.
PCBELEC manufactures the bare PCB and its defined edge-contact features, including selective hard-gold plating and specified board-edge processing.
A Contact Surface Is Different from a Soldering Pad
A mating contact is specified for its connector interface and wear requirements. A gold-colored finish on a soldering pad does not, by itself, establish the same contact-surface performance.
Simplified Top View / Edge Contact Region
Defined Contact Geometry
Specify finger width, pitch, exposed length, position and any long or short contact arrangement against the connector drawing.
Specified Local Plating
Identify the contact finish, gold thickness, nickel underplate and plating coverage independently from the other soldering pads.
Controlled Mechanical Interface
Define the finished edge thickness, outline and bevel geometry together with the mating connector requirements.
Contact Plating & Surface Finish
Hard Gold vs. ENIG for PCB Edge Contacts
Hard gold and ENIG both place gold over a nickel layer, but they serve different surface requirements. Specify the finish for the mating contacts separately from the finish used on component soldering pads.
Electroplated Hard Gold
A hardened gold layer is electroplated over nickel in the specified contact area. Hard gold is the usual choice for PCB edge fingers designed for repeated mating and mechanical contact.
Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold
ENIG uses electroless nickel followed by a thin immersion-gold layer. It provides a flat surface for soldering pads and should not be treated as a wear-equivalent substitute for hard gold.
Compare the Finish by Its Function
Swipe horizontally to view the full comparison.
| Selection Factor | Hard Gold on Edge Contacts | ENIG Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | A durable mating surface for the specified electrical contact area. | A flat, solderable finish protecting the underlying nickel surface. |
| Gold deposition | Electroplated hard gold with a specified deposit thickness. | A thin gold layer deposited through an immersion process. |
| Repeated mating | Preferred where the connector specification calls for a wear-resistant gold contact finish. | Use on a mating area only when accepted by the connector and application requirements. |
| Component soldering pads | Normally defined as a local contact finish rather than a blanket finish for all soldering pads. | Commonly used for component pads, including fine-pitch and BGA soldering areas. |
| Thickness specification | State gold and nickel requirements separately, including the units and minimum or nominal definition. | Identify ENIG and the applicable finish specification; do not reuse a hard-gold thickness note. |
| Cost considerations | Contact area, gold thickness and selective-processing requirements influence fabrication cost. | Board coverage and the complete surface-finish combination influence fabrication cost. |
Gold thickness alone does not define connector life. Mating-cycle performance also depends on the contact system, contact force, operating environment and specified qualification tests.
Hard-Gold Fingers, Separately Defined Soldering Pads
Define selective hard gold on the edge contacts and identify the required finish, such as ENIG, for the remaining soldering pads. Mark the two areas clearly so the fabrication package describes a complete surface-finish plan.
Include These Details in the Plating Note
- Contact finish and plated-area boundaries.
- Gold thickness, units and minimum or nominal basis.
- Nickel underplate requirement.
- Surface finish for all other exposed pads.
Selective Plating & Board-Edge Processing
Gold Finger PCB Manufacturing Capabilities
PCBELEC combines bare-board fabrication, selective contact plating and edge beveling in one manufacturing package. Define the contact surface and mechanical interface alongside the PCB stackup and board outline.
- Hard-Gold Thickness 3–50 μin Specified gold deposit on the contact area
- Edge Beveling 30°–45° Drawing-defined angle and bevel geometry
- Fabrication Orders Prototype & Production Engineering samples, small batches and repeat builds
Contact-Area and Mechanical Specifications
Swipe horizontally to view the full capability table.
| Manufacturing Item | Capability / Configuration | Define in Your Fabrication Package |
|---|---|---|
| Edge-contact finish | Selective electroplated hard gold over nickel. | Identify the contact finish and mark the complete plating area. |
| Hard-gold thickness | 3–50 μin on the specified gold-finger area. | State the required gold thickness, units and whether the value is a minimum or nominal requirement. |
| Nickel underplate | Nickel layer beneath the hard-gold contact surface. | Give the nickel thickness requirement separately from the gold thickness. |
| Board-edge bevel | 30°–45° edge beveling. | Show the angle reference, bevel dimensions, processed side or sides and connector-edge location. |
| Contact pattern | Custom contact artwork defined by the PCB design. | Dimension finger width, pitch, exposed length, position and any staggered contact arrangement. |
| Finished edge thickness | Board construction matched to the specified mechanical interface. | State the finished thickness and tolerance at the connector edge, not only the nominal board thickness. |
| Other exposed pads | Separately specified solderable finish, including ENIG. | Distinguish the edge-contact plating from the finish required on all remaining exposed pads. |
| PCB construction | Double-sided and multilayer board configurations. | Include the stackup, material, copper requirements and board outline with the contact details. |
| Order quantity | Prototype, small-batch and production fabrication. | Provide the required quantity, design revision and target delivery schedule. |
The gold-thickness range describes fabrication capability, not a mating-cycle rating. Select the contact-plating requirement from the connector and application specification.
Connector Geometry & Fabrication Drawing
Define the Edge Connector Geometry
Define the gold-finger area as a complete mechanical and electrical interface. Contact artwork, finished board thickness and bevel details should describe the same mating edge and match the connector drawing.
-
Finger Width, Pitch & Position
Match the contact count, finger width, center-to-center pitch and pad positions to the connector interface. Identify any required relationship between contacts on opposite board faces.
Define on the Drawing Contact dimensions, position datums, tolerances and side identification.
-
Contact Length & Staggering
Define exposed contact lengths and any long or short fingers required by the connector design. Identify each contact rather than leaving the intended sequence to visual interpretation.
Define on the Drawing Individual contact lengths, finger IDs and their distance from the insertion edge.
-
Finished Thickness at the Edge
Specify the finished board thickness and tolerance at the mating region. Distinguish this requirement from a nominal stackup thickness or a local thickness elsewhere on the board.
Define on the Drawing Required edge thickness, tolerance and the region where it applies.
-
Bevel Angle & Extent
Show the bevel in a dimensioned section view. Define the angle reference, bevel extent and processed face or faces together, instead of specifying an angle alone.
Define on the Drawing Angle datum, bevel dimensions, remaining edge thickness and side selection.
-
Contact-Area Clearances
Keep solder mask, legend and unrelated features outside the specified mating surface. Define nearby vias, copper features and edge clearances against the connector and fabrication requirements.
Define on the Drawing Exposed contact area, mask openings, keepouts and applicable clearance dimensions.
-
Keying, Outline & Plating Boundary
Locate connector keys, slots and edge transitions from the same board datums. Mark the required plated area separately from the contact geometry and final routed outline.
Define on the Drawing Key locations, profile dimensions, contact positions and plating coverage.
Make Critical Dimensions Explicit
Identify the dimensions that govern connector fit and contact alignment. Use a common datum scheme so the contact pattern, keying features and finished edge can be checked together.
Keep Artwork and Notes Consistent
Submit one matching design revision across the copper artwork, solder-mask layers, board outline and fabrication drawing. Resolve conflicting dimensions or plating notes before manufacturing.
Fabrication Quality & Verification
Plating Quality and Inspection Records
Verify the gold-finger interface against the approved fabrication requirements. Contact plating, finished geometry and bare-board electrical integrity are separate checks, with requested records defined as part of the order.
Contact-Surface Quality
Review the defined plating area and contact-surface condition against the specified finish and acceptance criteria.
Finished Mechanical Features
Check critical contact positions, board-edge thickness, keying features and bevel geometry against the drawing.
Bare-Board Electrical Integrity
Use the agreed electrical test scope to verify intended connections and identify opens or shorts in the bare PCB.
Define the Verification Scope
Swipe horizontally to view all inspection details.
| Verification Area | Inspection Focus | Specify with the Order |
|---|---|---|
| Gold and nickel deposits | Required gold thickness and nickel underplate, evaluated against the specified plating requirements. | Thickness limits, units, measurement locations and any required method, sampling plan or record. |
| Contact-surface condition | Plating coverage, exposed contact areas and visible conditions such as scratches, contamination or unwanted mask and legend. | Applicable workmanship criteria, critical contact zones and any additional visual acceptance requirements. |
| Contact and edge dimensions | Finger dimensions and position, keying features, finished edge thickness and specified bevel geometry. | Critical dimensions, tolerances, common datums and requested dimensional inspection records. |
| Bare-board electrical test | Continuity and isolation checks against the approved test data to identify open or short circuits. | Test-data reference, electrical acceptance requirements and any requested test summary. |
| Controlled impedance, where specified | Verification of the designated controlled-impedance structures, separately from continuity testing. | Target impedance, tolerance, relevant layers or structures and requested test records. |
Inspection methods, sampling and deliverable records follow the agreed order requirements. Include customer-specific criteria with the quotation package so they are incorporated before fabrication.
Bare-board verification supports the agreed PCB acceptance requirements. Connector mating-cycle qualification and product-level functional testing are separate verification scopes.
Engineering Samples to Repeat Orders
Gold Finger PCB Prototypes and Production
PCBELEC supports gold-finger bare PCB orders from initial engineering samples through small batches and production. Keep the contact-plating requirements, connector-edge geometry and design revision clear at every stage.
-
01 / Engineering Samples
Gold Finger PCB Prototypes
Build samples for your connector-fit, contact-alignment and design evaluation. Specify the intended contact finish and mechanical edge requirements in the prototype fabrication package.
Define for This BuildSample quantity, design revision, contact plating and critical connector-interface dimensions.
-
02 / Pilot & Small Batch
Low-Volume Fabrication
Move a selected design into a limited fabrication run. Incorporate approved prototype changes and identify the contact-area requirements that should carry into the next manufacturing stage.
Define for This BuildReleased files, updated drawings, order quantity and required inspection records.
-
03 / Production & Reorders
Production Gold Finger PCBs
Manufacture against the approved board and contact-interface specifications. Reference the correct part number, revision and agreed inspection requirements for repeat orders.
Define for This BuildProduction quantity, delivery schedule, approved revision and any changes from the previous order.
Include the required quantity and delivery date with your gold-finger fabrication inquiry.
Gold Finger Bare PCB Fabrication Inquiry
Request a Gold Finger PCB Quote
Send your PCB manufacturing files, connector drawing and order requirements for engineering review and quotation. Include the contact-plating specification and finished board-edge details alongside the main PCB construction.
Include with Your Inquiry
- Fabrication Files Gerber files, NC drill data, board outline, fabrication drawing and design revision.
- PCB Construction Layer count, material, stackup, finished thickness and copper requirements.
- Gold & Nickel Requirements Contact finish, gold thickness, nickel underplate and plating-area definition.
- Connector & Edge Details Connector reference, edge thickness, contact dimensions and bevel geometry.
- Other Finishes & Verification Finish on other pads, testing, acceptance criteria and requested inspection records.
- Order & Delivery Quantity, required delivery date, shipping destination and repeat-order reference, if applicable.
Send Your Gold Finger PCB Requirements
Use the form below to share your contact details, project specifications and fabrication files. Add the contact finish, gold and nickel requirements, connector reference and bevel details in the project requirements.
Engineering & Ordering Questions
Gold Finger PCB FAQ
Answers to common questions about contact finishes, plating notes, connector-edge geometry and gold-finger PCB fabrication orders.
Preparing a new build? Include your connector reference and fabrication drawing with the board files.
View the Quotation ChecklistAre hard gold and ENIG interchangeable on PCB gold fingers?
No. Electroplated hard gold provides a wear-resistant contact finish, while ENIG provides a thin immersion-gold layer over electroless nickel and is commonly used on soldering pads.
Use the finish required by the mating connector and application. Do not substitute ENIG for a specified hard-gold contact surface solely because both finishes appear gold.
Can the gold fingers use hard gold while the other pads use ENIG?
Yes. Define selective hard gold on the edge contacts and specify ENIG separately for the remaining exposed soldering pads. Mark the plated regions and state the gold and nickel requirements in the fabrication notes.
How should I specify gold and nickel thickness?
Specify the gold deposit and nickel underplate separately. Include the units, required limits and whether each value represents a minimum or nominal thickness.
PCBELEC's published hard-gold range for this service is 3–50 μin. Select the required thickness from the connector and application specification rather than treating the full range as one contact rating.
Does a thicker gold layer guarantee a specific mating-cycle life?
No. Gold thickness is one part of the contact specification, not a complete connector-life rating. Mating performance also depends on the contact system, force, materials, operating environment and qualification conditions.
Use the connector manufacturer's rating and the applicable system validation requirements for the intended service life.
What information is needed for the board-edge bevel?
Provide a dimensioned section view showing the bevel angle and its reference, bevel extent, processed face or faces and finished edge thickness. Identify the insertion edge and relevant tolerances.
An angle alone does not completely define the mechanical interface. Align the bevel details with the mating connector drawing.
How do I define long and short gold-finger contacts?
Identify the affected fingers and dimension their individual lengths or setbacks from a common datum. Keep the copper artwork and mechanical drawing consistent, including contact positions on opposite faces where relevant.
Use the connector's contact-sequencing requirements rather than inferring the intended sequence from finger appearance alone.
What should I send for a gold-finger PCB quotation?
Send the Gerber files, NC drill data, board outline, stackup and fabrication drawing, together with the connector reference, quantity and required delivery date.
Include the contact finish, gold and nickel requirements, plating boundaries, edge thickness, bevel details and any requested inspection records.
Are plating and dimensional reports included automatically?
Report deliverables follow the agreed order requirements. Request plating-thickness data, critical-dimension results, electrical test summaries or other documents with the quotation package.
Identify measurement locations, acceptance limits, sampling and any customer-specific report format before manufacturing.
