Miniaturized Spring Contact Pin via Additive Metallization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manufacturing techniques for spring contact pins with small diameters are economically unfeasible and lack high quality due to stringent tolerance requirements and manual assembly processes, making it difficult to produce miniaturized contact spacings efficiently and reliably.
Innovation Solution
The method involves producing a plastic base part using additive manufacturing, followed by metallization to create a metallic coating, allowing for the production of miniaturized spring contact pins with complex structures and reduced assembly steps, enabling cost-effective and high-quality production of contact spacings as small as 0.3 mm or less.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If classic manufacturing techniques (machining, forming, manual assembly) are used for spring contact pins with small diameters, then individual components can be produced, but the manufacturing cost increases and quality decreases due to stringent tolerance requirements and manual assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple manufacturing operations into a single integrated process. The additive manufacturing process creates the base part with complex geometries in one step, eliminating the need for separate machining operations. The metallization process then adds conductive properties directly to the printed structure, combining structural fabrication and functional coating in a streamlined sequence that reduces manual assembly steps and maintains tight tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental manufacturing parameter from subtractive (machining) and manual assembly to additive manufacturing. This parameter change enables the production of complex spring contact pin structures with precise contact spacings (down to 0.3mm or less) that would be economically unfeasible using traditional methods, while maintaining high quality through automated process control.
2Length of moving object
If miniaturized spring contact pins with contact spacing of 0.3 mm or less are produced using classic techniques, then small contact spacing is achieved, but production becomes economically unfeasible and quality suffers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical manufacturing systems (lathes, mills, manual assembly) with additive manufacturing technology. This substitution enables automated production of miniaturized spring contact pins with contact spacings of 0.3 mm or less, dramatically improving productivity while reducing costs. The metallization process further automates the addition of conductive properties, eliminating manual assembly operations and enabling high-volume production of delicate structures.
3Ease of manufacture
If complex structures are produced with plastic base parts, then manufacturing flexibility and cost-effectiveness improve, but electric conductivity is insufficient without metallization
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a composite structure by combining plastic base parts with metallic coatings. The additive manufacturing process fabricates complex plastic structures with high manufacturing flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Subsequent metallization adds electrically conductive properties to the plastic surface, creating a composite material system that exhibits both the geometric flexibility of plastic and the electrical conductivity of metal, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and electrical reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the production of high-quality, cost-effective miniaturized spring contact pins with excellent electric and mechanical properties, facilitating the creation of complex structures that cannot be achieved with conventional methods, and allows for the production of test cards with grids below 80 μm without the need for special tools.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one section of the base part which is made of plastic is produced by means of an additive manufacturing process
Implementation Method 2
subsequent metallizing of at least the section of the base part that is made of plastic. The metallizing creates a metallic coating/metal sleeve which has an electric conductivity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing at least one spring contact pin acting as an electrical contact, or a spring contact pin arrangement comprises at least one such spring contact pin. The following steps are provided: producing at least one base part of the spring contact pin, at least one section of said base part being made of plastic, and subsequently metallizing at least the section of the base part that is made of plastic. The invention also relates to a spring contact pin produced to according to said method, or a spring contact pin arrangement having at least one such spring contact pin.