CASE STUDIES — Power Module for Mezzanine Board Applications

Our client is one of the largest interconnect manufacturing companies in the northeast. They operate on the leading edge of the technology envelope on extremely aggressive projects and schedules. Their core competency in board-to-board high density connectors and solder ball technologies is unsurpassed. However, their expertise was challenged by the requirements of integrating a high current segment into an existing product family while insuring that the signal fidelity of the primary interconnect was not compromised.

IST was able to fill that void. We were contracted to work with their design team to develop  male and female mezzanine power modules with an electrical rating of 250 VAC and 30 Amps peek @ 70 degrees centigrade. These modules were designed as stand-alone units or as stacked multiple units. We also redesigned the base mezzanine connector to create a "frame" surrounding the power version which would allow the power modules to be "snap fit" assembled into a one-piece mono-block body to facilitate PCB assembly. The power module’s form factor and profile had to fall within that of an existing low voltage signal  module. This would allow either module type to be mounted side-by-side on a printed circuit board and mezzanine card.

Because of our intimate knowledge and expertise of the electronic interconnects industry, we were able to develop a product that met their size and performance criteria. We also recommended and incorporated a mechanically staggered ground and voltage engagement sequence which allowed the mezzanine card to be plugged and un-plugged while host PCB power was on. This is a typical occurrence during a system test sequence in and is know as Hot Swapping.

Technical Skills

  • Intimate knowledge of industry, equipment, and application engineering
  • Power Contact Physics
  • Power Circuit design
  • Electro-mechanical engineering principles
  • Copper Alloy materials selection
  • Insulation materials selection
  • Materials Treatments and Finishes

ist gets it done!