HiLo Interconnect

Flexible, High-Reliability Solution for Board-to-Board and BGA Socketing

HiLo Interconnect allows for quick, solder-free removal and replacement of BGA components and modules 

Our revolutionary HiLo connector system uses standard PCB materials and processes to create a connector with a pin-out optimized for your system.

HiLo and custom board-to-board interconnect products are commonly used in military, aerospace and high-reliability applications, and also compete well in cost-driven applications.

hilo interconnect

Typical Applications for HiLo Connectors

hilo bga interconnect

BGA Socketing

hilo bga socketing
hilo board to board interconnect

Board-to-Board

hilo board to board interconnect

Highs

  • High-Density: 0.8mm pitch and above
  • High-Speed: 1 dB cut-off  at 9.3 GHz
  • High-I/O: Can be supplied with over 2000 I/O
  • High-Reliability: Au-plated, Cu alloy contacts
  • High-Speed Assembly: Pick and place compatible

Lows

  • Low-Profile: Socket height less than 2mm
  • Low-Cost: Nominal cost at high volume 
  • Low-Insertion Force: One ounce per contact
  • Low Tooling Cost

Flexibility

  • Wide Applications: Production IC socket, module interconnect, board-to-board, flex to PCB
  • Quick Delivery: Prototypes as fast as 2 weeks
  • Design freedom for mixed pitch, selectively populated, and non-grid arrays
  • CTE Compliant

HiLo Connector Design

HiLo consists of 2 contacts:
A pin (male) and socket (female)

hilo conector male pin

Pin (male)

  • Base material: Phosphor Bronze (typical)
  • Plating: Gold over Nickel (typical)
  • Diameter 0.3mm (0.012”) for 1mm pitch +
  • Diameter 0.2mm (0.008”) for 0.8mm pitch +
hilo socket female

Socket (female)

  • Base material: Beryllium Copper
  • Plating: Selective Gold over Nickel (typical)
  • Different contacts tooled for different pitch

HiLo Cross-section View

hilo interconnect cross-section

In House HiLo Manufacturing

HiLo uses a standard, high-volume production process to make custom product variants

  • Data driven process: Engineering files load directly into production equipment
  • Standard panel size eliminates job-specific tooling
  • Automated optical inspection ensures quality on 100% of units manufactured
  • Standard materials + standard process + unique data file = custom product
hilo high pin count asic
High pin-count ASIC with HiLo
High-accuracy, multi-head drilling equipment
High-accuracy, multi-head drilling
precision routing equipment
Precision routing
Automated contact insertion equipment
Automated contact insertion
Automated optical inspection equipment
Automated optical inspection

HiLo housings are manufactured from drilled laminate instead of molded plastic

hilo interconnect drilled laminate

Improved Solder Joint Reliability

For large area array connectors, a CTE mismatch between the connector and PCB materials can result in significant stresses and failures under thermal cycling applications. HiLo minimizes these CTE mismatch stresses by utilizing a laminate with a CTE similar to the customer’s PCB.

Better Flatness

Drilled laminate connectors also exhibit less warp and twist during reflow compared to molded connectors. ISI’s HiLo designs have a tendency to conform to the substrate material during reflow resulting in high quality, reliable solder joints.

HiLo is available with the following laminate materials: (custom laminates possible upon request)
ResinTaX-Y CTEDielectric Constant
FR4125° C10-143.9 – 4.5
High Temp Epoxy210° C10-143.6 – 3.7
Polymide250° C6-93.6
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hilo ic interposer