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to deliver full connector functionality in the form of UL certi ed insulator-less wire-to-board contacts, which offer both lower pro les and lower costs than traditional full connector systems.
Figure 2: AVX offers a range of fully functioning and UL certi ed insulator-less IDC contacts that have proven reliable in harsh-environment applications since their introduction in 2010.
These enhanced IDCs also offer a unique solution to the market by virtue of their ability to terminate to coated magnet wire. Over the years, there have been a number of articles written and products developed to address the issues of removing the polymer insulation layer from the copper wire within. Some of these methods include: chemical solutions, scraping or mechanical strippers, and melting. A number of proprietary contact systems have also been developed to address penetrating this coating to make a reliable electrical connection with the wire, but all of them have added cost and/or secondary processes.
When phosphor bronze IDCs with wire-gauge-speci c contact geometries are employed in this application, the tough wire coating is effectively displaced during the wire insertion process, creating a robust, gas-tight, wire-to- contact connection that remains under compression between the two phosphor bronze contact tines. (See Figure 3.)
Figure 3: In these cross-sectional views of IDC-terminated magnet wires, the conductor coating is effectively displaced during insertion, creating a gas-tight, cold-welded, metal-on-metal connection.
These are just a few examples of the many wire-to-board applications in which IDC contacts have been able to provide reliable technical solutions in harsh environments. Maximizing the contact performance through material selection and geometry provides simple, yet extremely reliable connection systems across a broad range of wire sizes and types.
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