- Home
- /
- Case Studies
- /
- How Datalink Electronics Developed a Direct Gold Finish Process to Enhance Reliability, Conductivity, and Product Life Across High-Performance PCB Assemblies
How Datalink Electronics Developed a Direct Gold Finish Process to Enhance Reliability, Conductivity, and Product Life Across High-Performance PCB Assemblies
Client Profile / Background
Datalink Electronics was engaged by a long-standing OEM partner in the aerospace and industrial instrumentation sectors to investigate and implement a direct gold surface finish for their high-reliability PCB assemblies .
The client required a finish that would ensure long-term conductivity, oxidation resistance, and mechanical durability , particularly for applications involving low-voltage signal integrity and precision sensing.
Building on its expertise in PCB design, surface engineering, and manufacturing process control , Datalink led a full process development and qualification programme to deliver a robust direct gold plating solution suitable for production.
Conventional PCB finishes, such as ENIG (Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold) and OSP (Organic Solderability Preservative), can introduce limitations in contact resistance, corrosion risk, and signal reliability — particularly in harsh environments or long-lifecycle assemblies.
The project objectives were:
- To develop a direct gold process that removed the nickel barrier, improving electrical conductivity and contact performance.
- To ensure excellent adhesion and solderability while maintaining mechanical resilience.
- To validate repeatability and process stability across small and medium production runs.
- To implement a finish compatible with existing assembly and reflow processes without additional complexity.
The challenge was to combine technical precision with manufacturing practicality — ensuring the new process delivered measurable improvement without compromising throughput or yield.
Datalink undertook a structured process engineering and validation programme , leveraging its in-house plating and materials expertise.
What Datalink Did Differently:
- Process Development & Material Selection: Evaluated various gold chemistries and deposition parameters to identify a process that balanced purity, adhesion, and controlled thickness.
- Surface Preparation Control: Implemented a refined substrate activation and cleaning sequence to ensure uniform gold adhesion and eliminate surface contamination.
- Process Characterisation: Conducted detailed analysis of plating thickness uniformity, surface morphology, and contact resistance , using both in-house and external laboratory validation.
- Compatibility Testing: Verified full compatibility with solder reflow, wire bonding, and connector mating operations used in the client’s product line.
- Manufacturing Integration: The new process was introduced under ISO 9001 quality control, with in-line inspection, documented parameters, and traceable bath maintenance schedules.
The result was a stable, repeatable direct gold finish process that delivered superior conductivity and durability without increasing production cost or cycle time.
- Feasibility & Evaluation:
Comparative testing between ENIG and direct gold finishes demonstrated improved contact resistance and corrosion resistance in the direct gold variant. - Pilot Production:
Datalink manufactured a small controlled batch for validation, measuring plating uniformity, solderability, and environmental performance under thermal cycling. - Process Qualification:
Data from metallurgical cross-sections, adhesion testing, and solder joint evaluation confirmed repeatability and long-term stability. - Full Implementation:
Following successful qualification, the direct gold process was integrated into selected product lines, with continuous process monitoring and QA documentation. - Ongoing Process Optimisation:
Datalink continues to track and refine plating parameters to maintain consistency across batches and extend the process to additional assemblies.
The Results / Outcomes
Technical Benefits:
- Achieved improved electrical conductivity and contact reliability compared with nickel-based finishes.
- Demonstrated enhanced corrosion and oxidation resistance, ideal for long-lifecycle and harsh-environment products.
- >Delivered superior solderability and wire bond performance with reduced contact resistance variation.
- Maintained excellent plating uniformity and finish consistency across multiple runs.
Operational Outcomes:
- Integrated smoothly into Datalink’s existing production workflow with minimal process overhead.
- Improved product yield and reliability metrics across critical assemblies.
- Strengthened client confidence through data-driven validation and traceability.
- Established a new internal capability for premium surface finishes applicable to multiple sectors.
