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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
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for Metal Finishing 1989-2025
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Designing a metal connector to match electrical resistance requirements
I am working on a project for an electrical connector. I am looking to match a 7 to 10 ohm electrical resistance with this connector. The voltage through the connector will be around 2 to 4 volts. Are there any standard metals or coatings out there that would be able to match this resistance? The metal connector size is 9mm long by 5.4mm wide. This metal connector is inserted into a production injection plastic mold and molded around forming the completed part. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Matt CollinsBuyer - Macomb, Michigan
2007
I am not a connector designer, Matt, but from my experience in electroplating this doesn't sound right. Because of the way metal conductivity is affected by impurities, and the difficulty of keeping the connector surface tarnish-free, I don't believe you use a plating to provide a specific resistance. Rather you go for as little resistance as possible and retain the resistor as a separate semi-conductor component. At 2 volts I think you'll need gold plating.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007
Matt
Just a guess without a lot more detail but this sounds like a co-axial RF connector. In this case you are looking to match impedance not resistance (both are measured in ohms).
Impedance matching is done by connector design, not by the material, which can only add series resistance to the circuit.
I suggest that you check with your electrical designer. This is a technical problem which should have been resolved before involving the buying department.
Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England
2007
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