Aimed at waveguide applications, TECfin Connect is a versatile range of gold- and silver-based plating finishes designed to provide optimum performance. The finishes have been exclusively developed by Tecan to change surface properties for custom waveguides in the aerospace, defence, medical, security scanning and communications sectors.

Waveguide engineering requires the most accurate of surface finishes which must have the optimum surface characteristics for a given application. The company offers gold, bright silver and matt silver finishes, and is able to tailor these to produce the individual performance characteristics required for the most demanding specification.

Close customer liaison and joint development ensures individual plating for individual needs based on specific performance requirements. For example, the company recently produced on request a completely new TECfin Connect pure silver plate finish where it was necessary to ensure that ‘no organic or metallic brightness’ resulted from the process for a specific application where this would affect performance.

Within the TECfin Connect range itself, four corrosion resistant finish options are offered allowing the most appropriate to be selected to ensure the best possible performance characteristics for application-specific needs. These include properties such as conductivity, connection, solderability and contact resistance.

For applications such as high-use electronic switch parts and connectors the company offers its TECfin Connect HUC option – a highly-durable finish. A low contact resistance option (TECfin Connect LCR) targets parts such as relays, switches and critical area failsafe devices. For solderable electronic components TECfin S ensures a highly conductive finish with excellent solderability. Finally, TECfin Connect S+ has been developed for the most complex electronic components requirements.