Materials and contact shape studies for automobile connector development

The behaviour of various contact shapes and different base materials is studied in order to plan new connectors for automobile applications. The study of contact resistance of materials in their initial state versus load, is developed both in the inserting phase and during fretting motion. A specific test machine has been developed which allows statistical measurements under different initial conditions for base materials, contact shapes, and loads. The main results are the contact resistance law versus load R_c=k_cF^-n and the insertion force law F_c=k_iF_m ^c where the constants k_c, k_i, n, and m are correlated with material resistivity and contact shape characteristics. Contact resistance enhancement during low track fretting motion is reported