The lifetime and reliability of insulation displacement contactswith solid and stranded wires

摘要

To determine the lifetime and reliability of insulationdisplacement connections with solid and stranded wires for use intelecommunication equipment, dry heat tests at 100° C and 70° Cwere carried out. The duration of these tests was up to three years.Temperature cycle tests between 20 and 80° C were also made. Theincrease of the contact resistance in these tests is compared with theresistance increase of connectors kept at laboratory conditions. Bothsolid wires (0.5 and 0.4 mm) and stranded wires (7×0.20 mm,7×0.16 mm, and 18×0.10 mm) with and without tin plating weretested in insulation displacement slots of three differentmanufacturers. It is found that the slots tested with solid wires have astable contact resistance, while some of the slots with stranded wiresshowed an increase of the contact resistance. This was strongest for the18-strand wires. The test results are compared with the spring constantand springback of the insulation displacement slot. Criteria for theevaluation of the lifetime and reliability of insulation displacementconnections are discussed