Analysis of Crucial Factors Affecting Contact Force of PCB Spring Terminals Based on Simulation and Rank Correlation

A PCB spring terminal is a common type of connector found on the printed circuit board of electronic devices. Contact force is a crucial performance metric of this component that directly affects the product’s dependability. In actual production, the contact force is unstable, and the influencing factors are unknown, whereas conventional experimental research is restricted to costly and error-prone trial-and-error procedures. In this study, finite element simulation technology and Spearman rank correlation analysis are combined to determine the crucial factors controlling the contact force of the PCB spring terminals in the structural design parameters and the plating related parameters. The validity of the results is confirmed by the measured data. The results indicate that the thickness of the spring terminal is the most significant factor in controlling the contact force. According to the conclusion, the company has re-established the inspection standard and resolved production problems. This case shows that the combination of finite element simulation and correlation analysis can be used to find the most important design parameters of such components quickly, accurately, and cheaply.