High Insertion Forces Drive R&D Study

The number of electronic components in the average car has expanded over the past several decades and shows no sign of decelerating. Drivers have nearly all the amenities of home and office while on the go. Cars now brim with a seemingly endless number of accessories and diagnostic sensors to keep drivers abreast of operating conditions and maintenance needs. All these features require electrical connections; to speed assembly, terminals are ganged together in large connectors that are assembled once and hopefully, forgotten.

Because of the way engine and passenger compartments are designed, connectors are often buried deep within the vehicle and are difficult to access. As a result, they must be able to survive severe environments for the life of the vehicle to avoid warranty claims and costly, time-consuming repairs.

An additional challenge faced by connector manufacturers and automakers alike is the ergonomics of the connector design, especially the force required to mate connectors. Insertion force reduction is a major OEM challenge. Mating multi-pin connectors, sometimes in hard to reach locations, often requires significant force – creating the potential for incomplete mating, as well as repetitive-motion injuries for assembly workers.

Nye has started work to expand our connector lubricant families by formulating a new synthetic based lubricant to reduce high insertion forces – while still insuring long term low contact resistance. Our technical team is currently testing and validating the new low insertion force connector lubricant; and providing samplings to select manufacturers for validation. Tests performed include insertion force and fretting testing, corrosion studies, and an evaluation of physical properties to insure consistency. If you are interested in a sample, please contact our Automotive Regional Engineering office for more information at 1-248-597-0077.

If you are interested in a sample, please contact our Automotive Regional Engineering office for more information at 1-248-597-0077.