Compliant/Press-Fit technology has already been established as a proven standard in automotive electronics, power modules and other areas, which enables solder-free interconnects with high reliability and cost-saving process simplification. The ability to eliminate soldering hassles along with delivering excellent thermal characteristics and high-current carrying capacity has made press-fit a preferred solution in these arenas.
These advantages are now also driving the adoption of press-fit technology in a widening array of applications, including wearable tech products, medical monitoring devices, and industrial systems. In response, suppliers are expanding the configurations and size ranges of available press-fit interconnects to meet this expanding range of needs.
Today's press-fit offerings go well beyond the standard sizes, such as .64mm and .80mm, which have become ubiquitous in automotive and power applications. New Micro, Mini and Macro version are addressing the needs of markets like wearable electronics, medical monitoring devices and high-current industrial busbars.
Take wearbable electronics for instance, a market that has upside growth potential to over $55 billion a year by 2014 (according to IHS).
The keys to successful implementation of wearable technology devices include:
- Ultra-small integration of capabilities in light-weight miniaturized form factors
- Flexibility to meet a variety of deployment scenarios (wristbands, glasses, fabric, shoes, etc.)
- Ability to withstand shock, vibration, temperature cycling, moisture and other rigors of rugged consumer environments
- Automation-friendly to conform with high-volume production requirements
- High reliability and lifecycle performance – “reputation is everything in consumer technology”
Conventional soldering methods are incompatible with all of the requirements on the above list.
So Micro Press-fits makes a lot of sense in the wearables market.
Micro Press-Fit interconnects are specifically designed to meet the requirements of wearable technology markets. Press-fit offers solder-free, high-normal-force interconnects that are resistant to temperature cycling, shock/vibration, and provide extended lifecycle performance, which has been proven in harsh automotive markets. Press-fit also reduces weight and size as compared to solder-joints and offers greater flexibility for tight fit constraints and/or unconventional form factor requirements.
Similarly, new Mini Press-Fit configurations are ideal for the high-reliability needs of the portable medical monitoring device segment.
At the other end of the spectrum, Macro Press-Fit configurations are addressing the need for very high-current solderless interconnects in a wide range of industrial applications, such as busbars.
So, in reality, the answer to "what is the right size" for press-fit is:
"Whatever size you need".
Click here to read the full Tech Bulletin on new Micro, Mini and Macro Press-Fit.
