Application Note#101 – April 2016
TR Multicoax Series Straight Mount Installation
Purpose: This application note provides detailed instructions on successfully
mounting the TR Multicoax Series (20/40/70) connector to a printed circuit board.
BOARD PREPARATION¾

Inspect the TR board mounting surface for contamination and any obvious surface obstructions,bumps, or imperfections.

¾

Inspect the surface for solder and solder flux contaminants, surface should be solder free.

¾Use lint free cleaning cloth to wipe the board mounting surface clean of dust and contaminants.

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particles that are not easily removed.

¾

Ensure most alcohol is removed from the PCB surface by wiping the surface with a dry lint freecleaning cloth.

¾

After the board footprint surface has been inspected and cleaned, avoid contact with the board
surface with fingers or other contaminating objects.

¾

CAUTION: The TR must rest evenly on the board surface to work correctly.

¾

NOTE: An alternative solution to remove dust is to use a filtered compressed dust can.

¾

CAUTION: Do not apply large bursts of air pressure to avoid static shock to circuit components.

Specifications subject to change without noticewww.ardentconcepts.com

¾

CAUTION: All vias must be filled and capped. There should be no solder mask within the TR
footprint area.

INSTALLING THE STIFFENER BLOCK
For boards thinner than 94 mils (2.4 mm) it is recommended to use a PCB Stiffener Block (Example Part
number SB12X1-1) under the PCB to aid in PCB planarity.
¾

Carefully remove the shipping cover and Stiffener Block from the TR Assembly by loosening theM2 Captive Screws at the top of the Strain Relief Block until they are easy to slide out of thestiffener and PCB (See Figures 1 and 2).

¾

NOTE: These screws will not completely remove from the TR Assembly in normal use. If thescrews are damaged and need to be replaced, see section Care and Maintenance in master
application note.

Figure 1: TR Assembly

Figure 2: Protective Bottom Cover and Stiffener BlockRemoved from the TR Assembly¾

Once all the M2 mounting screws are removed from the Stiffener Block, the protective Shipping
Cover and the Stiffener Block will fall away from the assembly (See Figure 2).

¾

Carefully locate the TR board footprint and align the press bosses of the Stiffener Block to theback of the TR footprint on the PCB (See Figures 3 and 4).

¾

NOTE: The Stiffener Block is symetrical in design so attention to left/right orientation is notrequired. The press bosses will hold the Stiffener Block to the PCB backside. At this point, anarbor press MAY be used if necessary to fully seat the bosses on the Stiffener Block.

¾

With the press bosses aligned and holding the Stiffener Block in place, carefully apply handpressure to press the bosses into the PCB.

¾

NOTE: It is not necessary to fully compress the Stiffener Block to the PCB at this stage. During
further installation of the the TR Assembly, the M2 Captive Screws will fully seat the stiffener
before being fully torqued.

Specifications subject to change without noticewww.ardentconcepts.com

Figure 3: Mounting the Stiffener Block

Figure 4: Mounting the Stiffener Block with Retention¾

NOTE: At this stage, optional 0-80 screws may be used to secure the stiffener to the PCB. If
these screws are used, it is vitally important that the screw heads be recessed or below the top
metal mounting plane (See Figure 4).

¾

NOTE: For boards greater than 94 mils (2.4 mm) M2 pem nuts may be used in place of theStiffener Block.

¾

NOTE: For Boards less than 25 mils thick (flex circuits) consult Ardent.

MOUNTING TR MULTICOAX

Diagram 2: Exploded CAD image of TR12X1 assembly mounting on a PCB

3Specifications subject to change without noticewww.ardentconcepts.com

¾

Locate the alignment dowels on the bottom of the TR Assembly and reference them for alignment(See Figure 5).

¾

CAUTION: Avoid contact with the interface springs to prevent damage.

¾

Carefully align the two dowel pins with their corresponding holes being sure to align the 1.5mm
dowel pin with the 1.5mm hole and the 1mm dowel slot pin with the 1mm slot hole (See Figure 6).

¾

NOTE: The 1.5mm dowel will always align near Channel 1.

Figure 5: Aligning the TR Assembly

Figure 6: Holding the TR Assembly in Place¾

Carefully push down on the block and hold it in place (See Figure 6).

¾

To ensure that the Stiffener Block is aligned with the TR Assembly, push the hex screws in androtate to verify contact.

¾

If the TR assembly has 3 M2 screws as in a X12 or X24 assemblies, tighten the middle screw
before tightening the side screws (See Figure 7).

¾ While holding the TR Assembly in place, tighten the M2 hex screws located on top of the Strain
Relief Block until a torqueing resistance is observed (See Figure 8).

4Specifications subject to change without noticewww.ardentconcepts.com

Figure 7: Verifying M2 Screw Contact

Figure 8: Tightening the Middle M2 Screw¾ After all the screws have been tightened snuggly into place, go back over the M2 screws with thedriver to be sure they are all torqued evenly to 1.5 in-lbs (0.169Nm).

¾ NOTE: There will be a noticeably large resistance to turning the screws when they are fullytightened (See Figure 9).

Figure 9: Mounted TR Assembly Complete¾ CAUTION: Do not overtighten the M2 hex screws (maximum torque is 1.5 inch pounds).
¾ NOTE: The Stiffener Block is fully compressed into the board at this stage.

5Specifications subject to change without noticewww.ardentconcepts.com

APPLICATION NOTE SUMMARY¾ Inspect board and ensure it is free of contaminents.
¾ For boards thinner than 94 mils (2.4 mm) it is recommended to use a PCB Stiffener Block.
¾ An arbor press MAY be used if necessary to fully seat the bosses on the Stiffener Block.
¾ For boards greater than 94 mils (2.4 mm) M2 pem nuts may be used in place of the StiffenerBlock.

¾ When screwing TR series multicoax into the board, do not overtighten the M2 hex screws(maximum torque is 1.5 inch pounds).

END OF DOCUMENT

Who is Ardent Concepts
Ardent Concepts, Inc. is a leading designer and manufacturer of high performance multicoax,probes, connectors, sockets used in the development of next generation semiconductors andelectronics systems. Our core technology is the smallest, fastest, most electrically efficientcompression mount connector technology worldwide. It is used to connect: integrated circuits
and printed circuit boards to instrumentation and to each other offering superior signal integrityin a high speed environment. Markets for our products include: Semiconductor, Test &Measurement, Military/Aerospace, Communications and Medical.

Contact Information:

Sales:
sales@ardentconcepts.com

Phone: (603) 474-1760
E-mail: info@ardentconcepts.com
Ardent Concepts
130 Ledge Road
Seabrook, NH 03874

Technical:
engineering@ardentconcepts.com
6Specifications subject to change without noticewww.ardentconcepts.com