It uses a 0.100" (2.54 mm) pitch on both the pin-to-pin and row spacing, matching the legacy 0.100" grid that dominates prototype and production PCB layouts. The UL94 V-0 rated black thermoplastic housing and unshrouded pin design keep the footprint compact — the insulation height is 0.190" (4.83 mm) above the board, and the mating pin length of 0.318" (8.08 mm) gives a solid wipe depth before the contact bottoms out. The 0.230" (5.84 mm) solder post length suits standard 0.062" to 0.093" PCB thicknesses without requiring a long-tail variant.
Within the BERGSTIK® II family, the 86840-118HLF's 18 positions split the difference between the 16-position and 20-position variants at the same 0.100" pitch and dual-row layout. The selection decision is purely positional — the footprint, current rating, and gold plating grade are identical across the series. If the BOM calls for 18 circuits, this is the direct match; a 16-position header would leave two traces unrouted, and a 20-position would waste board area.
This is a push-pull unshrouded header — no locking latch, no polarization ramp. The retention comes entirely from the friction of the gold-to-gold contact interface and the solder joint on the PCB. In high-vibration environments, a secondary retention method (board-mounting holes, potting, or a locking receptacle) should be considered. The right-angle through-hole termination is soldered, not press-fit, so the assembly is reworkable with standard desoldering tools.