What is Round-Edge Plating in PCB?

Edge Plating
Edge Plating is the metalization of the board edge in the PCB filed. Side plating, Border plated, plated contour, side metal, these words can also be used to describe the same function.

Possible applications of Edge Plating:
．Improvement of EMC performance by shielding the inner region of multilayers (eg for HF circuit boards)
．Cooling function with the edge as additional cooling surface, where an active heat dissipation can be used
．Housing connection
．Board-on-Board connection (see plated half-holes)

Round-Edge Plating
Another, but more expensive, alternative to PTH on the board edge is “round-edge plating”. Using this technique, the contour of your PCB metallizes from the side. To achieve this we need to allow for extra base material around the PCB and routing of almost the entire contour before direct metallisation.

Figure 1:Pictures to show the finished board’s edge plating


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