Fretting corrosion in electric connectors induced by axial vibration

Vibration-induced fretting corrosion is a major cause of failure in electrical connector systems. To date, most work in this area has been mainly concerned with vibration orthogonal to the line of the connector and wire harness set (transverse vibration). The present study considers the effects of vibration parallel to the connector/wire harness line (axial vibration) A series of studies using single blade/receptacle connector pairs were conducted in order to investigate the driving mechanisms for this phenomenon. Variation in finish type, friction force, spring force, and cable length are considered. Experimental results for variations in natural frequencies and a variety of vibration input levels for fretting threshold are presented. In addition, a series of corresponding 3-D FEA simulation are presented using ANSYS and ABAQUS. The experimental and FEA simulation results are compared and insights into the indicators of fretting corrosion discussed.