Low Contact Resistance in Reed Switch Performance
Reed switches and reed sensors are designed to provide efficient and reliable operation, and a critical factor in their performance is contact resistance. Ensuring stable and low contact resistance not only enhances durability but also improves efficiency by minimizing heat generation during operation.
What is Contact Resistance and Why Does It Matter?
Contact resistance refers to the electrical resistance at the point where the blades of the reed switch makes contact. Ideally, this should remain around 60-70 milli-ohms for optimal performance.
When contact resistance is high, the switch draws more current, leading to overheating and reduced durability. Worse yet, variable contact resistance can compromise the switch’s reliability and even indicate issues with the hermetic seal integrity.
How We Ensure a Stable and Low Contact Resistance
To achieve precise and stable contact resistance, our manufacturing process includes:
- Mirror-Finished Tools: Using tungsten carbide tools ensures the blades surfaces are pressed like mirrors for optimal contact performance.
- Surface Preparation: Surface organics are uniformly burned off before the sputtering process to ensure a clean contact surface.
- Sputtered Coating: Our proprietary Ruthenium coating, applied in Angstrom-level precision, maintains a consistent thickness for stability and durability.
- Glass-to-Metal Sealing: Uniform cantilever formation and proper gap setting during sealing align the blades parallel, keep contact resistance to the minimum.
Why It’s Important for Customers
For applications such as low-level signal switching, stable contact resistance is critical. Customers should ensure lead cropping is done carefully to avoid damaging seals, which can impact contact resistance and durability. Sharing precise requirements for lead modifications helps manufacturers provide 100% post-modification testing to verify stability.
Applications Where It Matters Most
Low-level signal switching applications, such as telecommunications and precision electronics, demand switches with low and stable contact resistance to ensure accurate and reliable performance.
With these measures, reed switches and reed sensors deliver long-lasting, efficient performance tailored to critical applications. Contact us to learn more about optimising switches for your needs.