68-Position SAS/PCIe Plug for High-Density Storage Backplanes
The Amphenol PSAS4M2130021TR is a 68-position SAS/PCIe plug from the PSAS4 series, designed as the internal interconnect for enterprise storage arrays, server backplanes, and RAID controllers. The connector terminates via surface-mount solder tails in a right-angle orientation, placing the plug parallel to the PCB edge for a low-profile cable exit. Three assembly aids are built in: a board guide aligns the part during placement, a pick-and-place cap lets the nozzle handle the connector without touching the contacts, and solder-retention features hold it in position through reflow. These are standard on the PSAS4 series but not universal on SAS connectors — they reduce tombstoning and skew on dense boards.
The gold plating supports repeated engagement in a backplane where drives are swapped during the service life.
SMT Assembly and Placement Considerations
The right-angle surface-mount termination places all 68 solder joints on one side of the board. The board guide and pick-and-place cap are not decorative — the guide prevents the connector from rotating during reflow, and the cap protects the contact beams from nozzle pressure. Without these features, a standard vacuum pickup can damage the cantilevered contacts on a 68-position plug. The Tape & Reel packaging is the standard delivery for SMT placement machines. Cut Tape quantities are also available for prototype or low-volume builds.