Plating technology defines the mating cycles, durability and performance of connectors. GXT®, AGT®, and GCS® are innovative plating solutions that create durable, reliable, and economical connectors with increased efficiency.

GXT® plating, a mix of palladium-nickel with gold flash was developed back in the 1980s. It has continuously met Telecordia performance requirements for the past three decades. This is used as an alternative to gold especially in signal connectors, at a much reduced cost. GXT® plating is used in various industry applications such as Telecom, Datacom, Industrial and Automotive.

AGT® is a silver-based plating with low contact resistance, corrosion, and high melting point. AGT® plating can withstand high current and voltage reliability and is mostly suitable for power/busbar connectors that need to ensure low voltage loss, minimum heat generation over a large surface contact area. It is a viable option for present and future high current applications in automotive, for example, electric vehicles.

GCS® stands for Gold Capped Silver. This plating uses matte hard silver with a gold flash covering. GCS® was developed as a multilayer system to overcome the limitations of traditional silver plating. It is cheaper than gold or GXT®, but enables higher durability and low contact resistance than traditional soft silver plating. The gold flash ensures a lasting protection against tarnishing which outperforms traditional silver plating protected only by conventional organic anti-tarnish solutions. The added top layer is a high-performance lubricant giving a self healing function to the protection layer. GCS® also enables better corrosion resistance, lesser mating friction, and better conductivity, which is a reliable and cost-effective plating solution that can be used with both signal and power connectors.

These competitive plating options developed by Amphenol ICC enables connector innovations through improved quality, reliable performance and enhanced durability at a better cost.