SAS/PCIe Receptacle for High-Density Storage Backplanes
The Molex 0788440001 is a 68-position SAS/PCIe receptacle from the 78844 series, designed for surface-mount right-angle attachment to a PCB. It accepts the mating SAS or PCIe plug connector, routing high-speed serial data between a storage backplane and a drive carrier or add-in card. Board guide and mating guide features assist alignment during blind-mate assembly, reducing shear stress on the SMT solder joints. An integrated dust cap protects the receptacle contacts when the mating plug is not inserted.
Board Layout and SMT Assembly
The right-angle SMT orientation places the receptacle parallel to the board surface, with the mating face at the card edge. The 68 positions are arranged in a dual-row configuration typical of SAS/PCIe connectors, with the contact pitch set by the SAS standard. The board guide and mating guide are integral to the housing, so the PCB footprint must include the corresponding alignment holes and keep-out zones specified in the product drawing. The SMT tails are designed for reflow soldering; verify the paste stencil aperture and reflow profile against the manufacturer's application note for the 78844 series.