Plated leadframes with cantilevered leads

A metal frame patterned by die stamping has the outermost end portion of each patterned pin extending freely, without constraints, from a line of metal bridge connections (dam bar). The end face of each pin is also covered, as well as other surfaces of the frame, by a coating layer or multilayer of metals different from the metal of the die stamped frame. The coating layer or multilayer contains at least on its outer surface, a noble metal such as palladium or gold. The tip of the pins are not subject to cutting and/or trimming after plating the die stamped frame. The pins are not even cut or trimmed during separation of the patterned frame from the surrounding metal at the end of the encapsulation process, when the pins are then eventually bent into shape.