Abstract: A pin assembly is provided for a plated via of a circuit board. The pin assembly includes a pin sized for insertion into the plated via, and a plurality of expandable elements affixed to the pin. A conductive coating is disposed over the pin and over the plurality of expandable elements. With the pin assembly inserted into the plated via, one or more expandable elements of the plurality of expandable elements can be expanded within the plated via to enhance contact of the pin assembly to a wall of the plated via.

Abstract: Method of constructing a printed circuit board, preferably with one lamination step: constructing multilayer cores wherein each multilayer core includes a sheet of cured dielectric material having a layer of metal on each side of the sheet of cured dielectric material; patterning each layer of metal to form wiring traces; forming a sheet of uncured dielectric material; embedding a solder element in the sheet of the uncured dielectric material; alternately stacking the multilayer cores with the sheets of uncured dielectric material, the sheet of the uncured dielectric material having the embedded solder element positioned so as to be aligned with wiring traces in adjacent layers of metal in adjacent multilayer cores; heating the solder element so as to cause the solder element to melt; and hot pressing the stack of multilayer cores and sheets of uncured dielectric material to cause curing of the sheets of uncured dielectric material.