1. Electrical performance testing

Electrical performance testing is the core part of connector testing, mainly evaluating its conductive performance and signal transmission quality.

• Contact resistance test
  Use a micro-Eurometer or four-wire method to measure the contact resistance of the connector contacts.Low contact resistance is key to ensuring the connectors are efficiently transported current.

  • Test criteria: It is usually required that the contact resistance is less than a certain value (such as 20mΩ).

• Insulation resistance test
  Use an insulation resistance tester to measure the insulation resistance between the connector contact and the housing or adjacent contacts to ensure there is no leakage or short circuit.

  • Test criteria: The insulation resistance is usually required to be greater than 100MΩ.

• Pressure withstand test (high pressure test)
  Use a voltage withstand voltage tester to apply a high voltage between the connector contacts and the housing to check whether its insulation performance meets the requirements.

  • Test criteria: Depending on the connector specification, the withstand voltage value may be 500V, 1000V or higher.

• Signal integrity test
  For high-frequency connectors (such as USB, HDMI, RF connectors), use a network analyzer or oscilloscope to test the integrity of signal transmission, including parameters such as insertion loss, return loss, crosstalk, etc.

2. Mechanical performance testing

Mechanical performance testing mainly evaluates the physical strength and durability of the connector.

• Plug-and-removal force test
  Use a pluggable force tester to measure the insertion and pull-out force of the connector to ensure that it meets design standards.

  • Test criteria: The insertion force and pull-out force should be within the specified range and should not be too loose (caused poor contact) or too tight (caused damage).

• Durability test (plug-and-release life test)
  Simulate the plug-and-release operation of the connector and test whether it can maintain normal functions after a certain number of plug-and-release times.

  • Test criteria: The connector is usually required to withstand hundreds or even thousands of plugs and unplugs.

• Mechanical shock and vibration tests
  Use an impact tester and a vibration table to simulate the mechanical stresses that the connector may encounter during transportation or use, and check for looseness, breakage or poor contact.

• Terminal retention force test
  Test whether the connector terminals can be firmly fixed during the plug-in and unplugging process to avoid falling off.

3. Environmental performance testing

Environmental performance testing is used to evaluate the reliability of the connector in extreme environments.

• Temperature cycling test
  Place the connector in a high and low temperature cycle test chamber to simulate the effect of temperature changes on its performance.

  • Test criteria: Usually cycles between high and low temperatures (such as -40°C to +85°C).

• Humidity and heat test
  Place the connector in a high temperature and high humidity environment to test its corrosion resistance and insulation properties.

  • Test criteria: Usually tested at 85°C, 85% RH for hundreds of hours.

• Salt spray test
  Simulate salt spray corrosion in coastal or industrial environments to test the corrosion resistance of the connector.

  • Test criteria: Depending on the application scenario, the salt spray test time may be 24 hours, 48 ​​hours or more.

• Waterproof and dustproof test (IP level test)
  For outdoor or industrial connectors, use waterproof and dust-proof testing equipment to evaluate their protection level (such as IP67, IP68).

4. Special performance testing

Depending on the specific application scenario of the connector, some special tests may be required.

• Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing
  For high-frequency or high-speed connectors, test their anti-electromagnetic interference capabilities and whether they will interfere with other devices.

• Current load carrying capacity test
  Test the temperature rise and stability of the connector under long, high current loads.

• Airtightness test
  For sealed connectors, use an airtightness tester to test their sealing performance.

• Material composition analysis
  Use X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) and other equipment to analyze the composition of the connector material to ensure that it meets environmentally friendly requirements (such as RoHS standards).

5. Appearance and size inspection

• Appearance inspection
  Check the appearance of the connector for defects, such as cracks, deformation, coating peeling, etc. by visually or microscopy.

• Dimension measurement
  Use a caliper, projector or three-coordinate measuring instrument (CMM) to check whether the connector size meets the design drawing requirements.

6. Functional testing

• Conductivity test
  Use a multimeter or conduction tester to check that each contact on the connector is in normal conduction.

• Signal transmission test
  For data transmission connectors (such as USB, HDMI), use a dedicated test device to verify whether their signal transmission function is normal.

7. Automated testing

For large-scale production connectors, automated testing equipment (such as ATE systems) is usually used for fast and efficient testing.Automated testing can integrate various test items such as electrical performance, mechanical performance, and functional testing to improve testing efficiency and consistency.

Summarize

The test of connectors requires the selection of appropriate testing methods based on their application scenarios and performance requirements.Through comprehensive testing, the connector can be ensured to have high reliability, long life and stable performance in actual use.For key application areas (such as aerospace, medical equipment, automotive electronics), the test requirements for connectors will be more stringent, and they usually need to comply with relevant industry standards (such as ISO, IEC, MIL-STD, etc.)