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Electrical Contacts β

General Rules for Dimensioning of Contacts

General Rules for Dimensioning of Contacts

Recommended Minimum Contact Forces at Slightly Sliding Contact Make:

Gold 0.03 N
Silver 0.1 N
Tungsten 0.5 N

Contact Force Recommendations:

Signal relays ≥ 3 cN
AC power relays ≥ 20 cN
Automotive relays ≥ 20 cN
Motor switches (Contactors)
(Silver – Metal oxide contacts)
0.05 - 0.08 N/A
Power switches 0.1 - 0.2 N/A
Connectors
(Gold coating)
≥ 30 cN/contact element
Connectors
(Silver coating)
≥ 50 cN/contact element
Connectors
(Tin coating)
≥ 1 N/contact element


General Rules for Dimensioning of Contact Rivets

Figure 1: General Rules for Dimensioning of Contact Rivets
Dimensioning Solid Rivets (1) Composite Rivets (2)
a : d 1.5 : 1 bis 2.5 : 1 2 : 1 bis 2.5 : 1
a : b 2.5 : 1 bis 10 : 1 3 : 1 bis 5 : 1
c : b ≥ 1 : 1 ≥ 1 : 1
b : s ≥ 2 : 1
smin ≈ 0.3 mm



Failure Probability of Single and Double (Bifurcated) Contacts (according to Thielecke)

Contact force[N] Single contact
Ag AuNi 5, Pt Ag AuNi 5, Pt
0.04 1 x 10-4 2 x 10-8
0.1 2 x 10-3 4 x 10-5 8 x 10-5 8 x 10-9
0.2 1 x 10-4 8 x 10-6 4 x 10-6 4 x 10-8
0.3 5.5 x 10-6 1.5 x 10-6 1.8 x 10-7 3.2 x 10-10


Figure 2: Failure probability of a contact as a function of the voltage (according to Kirchdorfer); Ag/Ni10; 10 mA
Figure 3: Failure probability of a contact as a function of the current (according to Kirchdorfer); Ag/Ni10; Fk = 0.45 N; U = 24 V

References