Board to board connectors

Extender Card describes the arrangement of two or more printed circuit boards in one plane next to each other. The necessary connectors are called angled variants. Their contacts are mounted vertically on the PCB and then describe a 90 degree arc. In this arrangement, the connector is positioned at one of the edges of the PCB and the mating face points away from the PCB.

Mezzanine describes the arrangement of two or more PCBs at least partially flat on top of each other. Both connectors protrude vertically from the flat side of their PCB and connect in the space between them. The distance is determined by the height of both connectors and the possible overmating area.

Motherboard to Daughtercard describes the arrangement of two or more PCBs in which one of the two PCBs is perpendicular to the surface of the other. In this arrangement, one connector is oriented perpendicular to the PCB and can be positioned almost freely on the surface of the PCB. The connector of the second or additional PCBs has a 90 degree angled design on the edge of the PCB. This arrangement is often used in racks where a large PCB forms the mothercard on which the daughtercards are inserted vertically via a rack rail.

Ribbon cables are used to connect PCBs when the distance to be bridged is too great for one of the other connections, with connector to connector. Ribbon cables can also be used when the possible routing of both boards makes another connection impossible.