Page 16 - ConnectorSupplier.com - How-to-Specify Handbook

Figure 2: IDI spring probe technology from Smiths Interconnect can accommodate mixed signals and functionality in a single, custom connector design.
As such, it’s critical to de ne any application-speci c demands on the contact and connector during the design process. It’s important to know how long the connector will be in use, how many mating cycles are required, and whether it will be subjected to harsh operating conditions. Spring probes represent an excellent option for use in harsh environments exposed to high shock and vibration, extreme temperatures, and corrosive materials, but each of these elements will have an impact on optimal probe choice, and the more severe an operating environment is, the more it will affect the choice of contact. More robust solutions often employ larger contacts than those designed for use in benign environments. In applications where water ingress is a concern, spring probe connectors can be designed to achieve IP68 sealing in both mated and unmated conditions.
When selecting spring probe connectors, it’s also critical to de ne signal performance requirements. Criteria including the amount of current and voltage that will be required of the connector and whether high data rates will be transmitted via differential pair will affect the nal design of the connector and choice of probe contacts, as will the maximum tolerable voltage drop across the connector, which determines how stable the contact resistance of the probes must be. The signal integrity of high-speed digital or high-frequency analog channels can be managed by controlling the characteristic impedance.
Spring probes offer extreme design versatility, can provide unique physical and performance advantages that other contact technologies can’t readily achieve, and are well suited for use in a wide range of applications. All it takes to ensure a trouble-free design process and identify an optimum solution that delivers maximum performance is a list of application-speci c requirements and the help of a trusted connector supplier.
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