Hi. Im about to order my first self-designed PCB. Im using through hole components. After some searching here in the forum it seems like Elecrow is a popular manufacture so im gonna try them. https://www.elecrow.com/pcb-manufacturing.html
I need to choose between:
HASL
HASL Lead-free
ENIG (Immersion gold)
OSP
What's the "standard" surface finish for professional audio pcb's? What do you use?
Try it all. :icon_wink:
Jokes aside - no matter, all good enough.
Google (https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=HASL+HASL+Lead-free+ENIG+%28Immersion+gold%29+OSP)
I think the differences are for cell-phone or submarine applications, pedals are not so fussy. I'd find the cheapest and see how ugly it is.
https://blog.techdesign.com/5-types-pcb-surface-finishing/
HASL Lead-free is pretty standard.
ENIG (Immersion gold) is good if you want to charge your customers more for the "luxury" version.
But for my own use I just get HASL Lead-free. I've gotten tons of PCBs with both, and don't notice a significant difference.
I wouldn't pay the extra for gold because solder forms intermetallic compounds with gold (the dreaded Purple Plague) when used with lead-tin solder. I am not sure how it reacts with silver-tin-copper solder. These intermetallic compounds are brittle and tend to break up with a low level of stress, making connections that have a short life before they go open.