MEG-Array(R) connector, the first ball grid array connector

Improvements in chip technology drove the need for an easily applied, surface mountable connector set that had high density, high pin count, excellent electrical properties, and a low mating profile. FCI´s solution was the industry´s first Ball Grid Array (BGA) connector, the MEG-Array(R) connector. The key challenges faced during development included both design and manufacturing issues. High density and low profile required new design concepts and extremely tight tolerances. Ball attach technology complicated the reliability aspects of the connector because there were now three interfaces (ball-to-tab, ball-to-pad, and the separable contact itself) to develop. Finally, the resulting design not only severely taxed the capabilities of the traditional manufacturing processes but also added new challenges dealing with the ball attach process itself. To deal with all these challenges FCI used a structured methodology for both design and process development. “Virtual Engineering”, which included mechanical, electrical, and process simulations, was used for the initial design. Extensive use of Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Design of Experiments (DOE) facilitated the concurrent design and process development phase. The manufacturing process scale-up phase was characterized by a commitment to total statistical process control and 100% automatic inspection as required to meet the stringent quality requirements. The end result was a very reliable connector developed in record time that met all customer requirements. This paper details the significant challenges outlined above and the extensive analytical effort to verify reliability and all performance goals. Application of the product to a board is also discussed