Usage Marks on The Connector of New NI MXIe Cards

Updated Jun 15, 2022

Reported In

Hardware

  • PCIe-8361

Issue Details

I bought new MXIe cards from NI. When I unpack them, I see, that the cable connector has dark marks. Is this expected?
usage marks mxi.jpg

Solution

The usage marks are expected, and are a results of the production test done by NI to ensure the product is working,

Connectors often have multiple layers of coating. For example, the MXIe connector is covered by Nickle and Tin.

The Nickle coating is needed for corrosion resistance and scratch resistance, while the Tin layer is needed for the soldering process of the connector onto the PCB.
As Tin is a soft material, it will get scratches when connecting and disconnecting the cable during production test.

As the Nickle coating is the one important for the correct working of the connection, the scratches in the Tin layer are not affecting performance or quality.

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