ENIG - Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold

With recent developments regarding RoHS, Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold has been growing as one of the best finishing methods for printed circuit boards. ENIG is a costlier finish, but offers the best characteristics for printed circuit boards. The process requires the most steps over other finishing types and is a more difficult process which is why fewer printed circuit board manufacturers offer it as an option.

The electroless nickel is an auto-catalytic process depositing nickel on the palladium catalyzed copper surface. The reducing agent containing nickel ions must be replenished in order to provide proper concentration, temperature and pH levels necessary for this step in the ENIG process in order to create a consistent coating. The nickel is then processes with the gold, or a better description would be that the gold applies it-self to the nickel plated areas to protect the nickel until the soldering process. The gold thickness needs to meet tolerances to ensure that the nickel maintains its solderability.

Electroless nickel immersion gold is a sophisticated process that is very different from the normal dip tank to dip tank plating process. ENIG requires a knowledgeable and experienced plating department in order to manufacture a quality board. Triangle Circuits is one of the leading printed circuit board manufactures that has both the skills and experience to offer Electroless nickel immersion gold finishing and is one of the reasons Triangle is a leading supplier of printed circuit boards to leading OEMs and Electronic Contract Manufacturers.

ENIG is by its nature a sophisticated chemical system that requires knowledgeable plating personnel and lab maintenance.  "Dip and dunk" mentalities will only create defective parts.

Electroless nickel immersion gold  chemistries offer many strengths including excellent wettability, coplanarity, surface oxidation and long shelf-life. ENIG doesn't require frequent dummy plating, excellent re-flow cycles, and gives level plating around the shoulders of pads and lines. It also provides both good adhesion as well as providing outstanding electrical testability

Triangle Circuits continues to advance our technology in response to increased market demand for a lead free surface finish that is; flat, highly conductive and can withstand up to 6-8 reflow cycles combined with the benefits of providing a full 24 month shelf life.

Triangle Circuits offers high quality Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold (ENIG) finish in addition to our immersion white tin and Entek OSP options. To provide our customers the ultimate in lead free soldering performance, shelf life and long-term reliability, we selected Uyemura USA , the largest global supplier of nickel gold chemistries for our process.