On a connector, the tolerance that matters is not the one on your drawing — it is the one that
stacks up vertically between your PCB, the contact, and the mating half.
This is how we control it, and how we prove it.
Tolerance Stack-Up: Where Interconnects Actually Fail
A contact can pass every individual dimension on its drawing and still fail in the assembly. The reason is almost always cumulative vertical tolerance — three independent contributors that add together.
Board-side tolerance
PCB thickness variation, pad finish height and solder-joint height. Typically the contributor you control least — which is why we take it as given rather than as a variable.
Contact-side tolerance
Stamped metal thickness, formed height, and plating build-up. This is the contributor we own on the press — and the one we hold tightest.
Mating-side tolerance
Mating half position, housing datum and insertion depth. Determines how much working stroke you actually have left.
How We Control It
Tolerance control on a connector is a press-and-die discipline before it is an inspection discipline.
- Stack-up review before toolingWe model the three contributors using your board thickness as an input, and confirm the remaining working stroke in writing — before any tooling is cut.
- Die and forming controlForming height is held at the press, with in-process checks on the stamping line rather than a final gate only.
- Plating build-up accounted forGold thickness is a dimensional contributor, not just a cosmetic one. It is specified and measured, not assumed.
- Measured verification, not visualDimensional verification on a vision measuring system, with measured values in the first article report.
The Instruments Behind the Numbers
These are the measurements behind every claim we make on a datasheet.
Vision Measuring (VMS)
Dimensional & tolerance verification
Connector Force Tester
Insertion / withdrawal force
DC Low Resistance
<30mΩ contact resistance
Life Cycle Durability
100,000+ mating cycles
Tolerance Under Stress
Tolerance that holds at 25°C is not the same as tolerance that holds after thermal cycling, humidity and corrosion.
Tolerance Questions Engineers Ask
What dimensional tolerance can you hold on a stamped contact?
It depends on the feature and the material thickness. Send the drawing and we will confirm, feature by feature, what the die can hold — in writing, before tooling. We would rather decline a tolerance we cannot hold than ship to it and sort later.
How do you handle tolerance stack-up with my PCB?
We take your board thickness and mounting type as inputs, model the vertical contributors, and return the remaining working stroke. This is part of the DFM review and is included with the quote.
Is the gold plating thickness included in the dimensional calculation?
Yes. Plating build-up is a dimensional contributor on the contact face, so it is specified and measured as part of the geometry — not treated as a separate finish-only concern.
Do you provide measured values or just pass/fail?
Measured values. First article reports carry the actual measured numbers, not a checkbox, so your team can compare them against your own stack-up.
Send your stack-up. Get a tolerance review in 12 hours.
Our engineer will confirm working stroke, flag stack-up risk, and quote from USD 600 tooling.