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PCB007 Magazine: The Essential Guide to Surface Finishes—March 2025
March 17, 2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: Less than a minute

The Essential Guide to Surface Finishes
Corrosion, adhesion, bonding—the comprehensive issue of surface finish plating is a primary one for printed circuit board manufacturers and their assembly counterparts with gold as the “gold standard” for many applications. But gold is expensive, and it has its limits.
In the March 2025 issue of PCB007 Magazine, we compare and contrast surface finishes by type and application, taking a hard look at the many iterations of gold plating as a longtime standard and as palladium as a surface finish. We also take another look at a compelling additive manufacturing metallization product and technology. We go back to basics, recount a little history, and look forward to addressing the many challenges that high density, high frequency, adhesion, SI, and corrosion concerns for harsh environments bring to the fore.
Suggested Items
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Gold Mitigation for Class 2 Electronics
05/07/2025 | Nash Bell -- Column: Knocking Down the Bone PileIn electronic assemblies, the integrity of connections between components is paramount for ensuring reliability and performance. Gold embrittlement and dissolution are two critical phenomena that can compromise this integrity. Gold embrittlement occurs when gold diffuses into solder joints or alloys, resulting in mechanical brittleness and an increased susceptibility to cracking. Conversely, gold dissolution involves the melting away of gold into solder or metal matrices, potentially altering the electrical and mechanical properties of the joint.
Panel Driver IC Price Decline Slows in 1H25; Gold Prices, China Subsidies, and U.S.-China Tariffs Emerge as Key Variables
04/28/2025 | TrendForceTrendForce’s latest investigation finds that China’s subsidy policies and rising concerns over reciprocal tariffs are reshaping brand strategies in the panel market, indirectly influencing price trends for panel driver ICs.
L3Harris Expands Indiana Facility to Support America’s Golden Dome
04/18/2025 | L3Harris TechnologiesL3Harris Technologies has completed a $125 million expansion at its space manufacturing facility in Fort Wayne to support the Department of Defense’s urgent need for on-orbit technology to defend the homeland by building a “Golden Dome” around the United States.
Observations on Palladium as a Final Finish
04/04/2025 | Happy Holden, I-Connect007Not much has been published about palladium as a final finish, but it’s experiencing a renaissance as a liquid metal for metallization of copper in ultra HDI and as a final finish. It was very popular in the 1970s because of its corrosion resistance, as the only other final finishes were tin-lead reflow, Ni/Au, OSP, or immersion tin. Palladium was very popular with the automotive industry then and Photocircuits of Glen Cove, New York, was a major supplier of boards.
Uyemura Announces Six Sigma Graduates
04/02/2025 | UyemuraDr. Patrick Valentine, Technical & Lean Six Sigma Manager and Six Sigma Master Black Belt, announces the completion of Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training by 4 members of Uyemura’s professional staff.