What is Edge connect™?

Tag-Connect’s Edge-Connect™
Castellated Board-Edge Connectors

The direct to the literal edge of the PCB Connector!

EC-14 Edge Connect debugging/programming connector

Edge-Connect™ – The Leading-Edge Connector!

Edge-Connect™ is the patent-pending newest member in the family of Connectors and Cables from Tag-Connect.

By connecting to the literal edge of the PCB (not the surface near the edge like traditional edge-connectors) Edge-Connect™ is designed to essentially eliminate the wasted real-estate needed by JTAG programming and test connectors. Edge-Connect™ is an Ideal solution for space-sensitive PCB’s and modules that don’t have room on the board for traditional connectors but which still need a means of programming firmware and testing. We’ve also designed Edge-Connect™ so that we can offer low-cost, fast-turn, customized connector solutions to meet the unique requirements of your PCB.

Shown below is the Tag-Connect Edge-Connect EC-14 14-pin cable with Castellated Edge Connector and attached target PCB

EC-14 connected to PCB

  • Connects directly to the literal edge of the PCB
  • PCB snaps directly onto the Edge-Connect™
  • Zero Component Cost on the PCB
  • Maximizes available PCB real-estate
  • Eliminates the cost of a connector on every board
  • Requires just one tiny locating hole, or three castellated edges
  • Low profile edge access ideal for use with stacked PCB’s with no access headroom
  • Cant be connected backwards due to keyed pin location
  • Standard or custom design configurations available
  • Alternative pitch? Three castellated edges? No problem!
  • No Header! – No Brainer!

Instead of using the usual space-costly Surface Mount or Plated Through-Hole connectors, Edge-Connect™ has springy gold-plated contacts that connect directly to the literal edge of the target PCB using edge castellation.

A Castellated PCB edge is a board edge that has plated through holes that are placed overhanging the edge of the board and typically made at little to no extra cost even from most cheap proto-board fab services (often a check box in the online quote is marked “Castellated Holes”).

Castellated edges are commonly used on RF, WiFi, BLE and IoT sensor modules making them suitable for soldering as an SMT component onto host PCB’s using the castellated holes as pins. Edge-Connect™ allows test and programming and even debugging without first soldering the module to the host PCB. This makes it very useful for factory test and programming of the module.

EC-14 has a castellation pitch of 1.27mm and requires a single tiny non-plated through hole to locate and hold the PCB in place. It can be used with 2 to 14 castellated holes on a PCB edge.

For more information please Contact Us