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A spring contact probe is an electro-mechanical interconnect. On each of the probe pages, the Technical Summary and Materials sections contain the mechanical properties as well as the electrical properties of each probe. Listed below are the definitions of the mechanical properties. For more information on the electrical properties, please refer to the relevant section.
A variety of tip styles are available for each probe series. Some tips are more aggressive, ideal for penetrating contaminants, while others are designed not to scour or mark the contact surface. Some are specifically designed to contact vias—filled or unfilled. For more information to determine the best tip style for your application, please refer to the relevant section.
The spring force is defined as the amount of force required to compress the probe to the recommended working travel. A wide range of spring forces is available. Lower force springs are typically used in areas with high probe density, while higher force springs are used for penetrating contaminated test points in lower density areas. For more detailed information on spring force, please refer to the relevant section.
Lubrication and spring materials determine the operating temperature of a probe. Most probes that are lubricated to increase mechanical life have a maximum operating temperature of 120°C. Probes operating outside of this range should be non-lubricated. Spring material is the other factor affecting the maximum operating temperature of a probe. Various materials lose their spring properties (anneal) at different temperatures. The chart below lists the operating temperatures for the various spring materials, both lubricated and non-lubricated.
The recommended minimum centers refer to the minimum distance between the center-point of one mounting hole to the adjacent mounting holes.
The recommended working travel, also known as rated travel, is typically 2/3 of the maximum travel. Depending on the spring design, compressing a probe beyond its recommended working travel can create undue stress on the spring. Testing at full stroke can potentially damage the plunger tip or the device under test (DUT). If testing past the recommended working travel is required, please seek assistance in choosing a probe for your specific requirements.
Maximum travel is the maximum distance that a probe may be compressed. The small body diameter of the probe controls the maximum travel if the probe tip is headless. If the probe tip is headed, the bottom of the tip making contact with the barrel controls the maximum travel distance. The maximum travel listed for each probe is based on a nominally dimensioned part. It should be noted that the maximum travel has a tolerance of +0.005″ (0.13).
Petracarbon is a diversified engineering company headquartered in Singapore. It traces its roots back to 1982 and has now grown to having operations in 5 countries with over 10 locations.