Quick disconnect test connectors

[tfr000]

Looking for ideas...
At my work, we test a number of products that come with flying leads, using this kind of connector:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/33-1404/GC400-ND/258507
I'm looking for something a little more durable. These things have plastic clips to hold the leads in the connector, and they tend to grind down with many insertions until they no longer have enough material to hold a lead in place. I have searched around for a higher quality version of this, without much luck.

 

[berkeman]

Looking for ideas...
At my work, we test a number of products that come with flying leads, using this kind of connector:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/33-1404/GC400-ND/258507
I'm looking for something a little more durable. These things have plastic clips to hold the leads in the connector, and they tend to grind down with many insertions until they no longer have enough material to hold a lead in place. I have searched around for a higher quality version of this, without much luck.

Can you make something based on pogo pin contacts? Some sort of a hold-down actuator for each lead that pushes it down on a spring-loaded pogo pin...

 

[tfr000]

Can you make something based on pogo pin contacts? Some sort of a hold-down actuator for each lead that pushes it down on a spring-loaded pogo pin...

It might get a bit complicated. The products have up to 12 leads.
I should probably mention that we have many test boxes like this - maybe 100-200 of them. So an off-the-shelf solution is probably the way to go, rather than having to do a mechanical design.

 

[berkeman]

It might get a bit complicated. The products have up to 12 leads.
I should probably mention that we have many test boxes like this - maybe 100-200 of them. So an off-the-shelf solution is probably the way to go, rather than having to do a mechanical design.

Can you post a picture of typical leads? What wire gage? Solid or stranded wire? How far back are they stripped?

 

[tfr000]

Can you post a picture of typical leads? What wire gage? Solid or stranded wire? How far back are they stripped?

Typically 22AWG, but some products vary, maybe 24 to 18 ga. Stranded wire, stripped 1/4 to 1/2 inch, sometimes tinned, usually not. The leads are generally 6 or more inches long. The products are built in batches of just a few to hundreds.
I'm sure you can see how this would be hard on the crappy plastic connectors...

 

[berkeman]

Typically 22AWG, but some products vary, maybe 24 to 18 ga. Stranded wire, stripped 1/4 to 1/2 inch, sometimes tinned, usually not. The leads are generally 6 or more inches long. The products are built in batches of just a few to hundreds.
I'm sure you can see how this would be hard on the crappy plastic connectors...

Hmm. How about using solid copper bus wire, about 18AWG, and just quickly wire nutting each wire onto a bus wire? The bus wires would be captured in something (wood or plastic) so they are rigid and don't move, and they are spaced far enough apart to make room for your hands twisting the wire nuts.

After you use a wire nut for about 100 times, you can toss it. They are cheap. And make the capture fixture for the copper bus wires so that it's easy to replace the bus wire pieces when they wear out. Actually, you could start with the bus wire pieces about 5" long, and trim 1/2" off every few hundred tests to get longer life...

 

[dlgoff]

How about using solid copper bus wire, about 18AWG, and just quickly wire nutting each wire onto a bus wire?

I like this idea.

Would this be an option? May be a little more expensive (?)

 

[jim hardy]

I've always liked these
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/BU-60S/314-1035-ND/304599

the screw could be replaced with a longer one to mount the clip.

Then there's "back to the future":
http://www.newark.com/abbatron-hh-s...sozPKpbI|pcrid|33870122541|plid|&CMP=KNC-GPLA

http://www.newark.com/productimages/standard/en_US/4534000.jpg

just thoughts...

old jim

 

[meBigGuy]

Try a google image search on "pushbutton terminal block"

I'd certainly contact WAGO

http://www.newark.com/wago/261-104-341-000/terminal-block-pushbutton-4pos/dp/73C4061
http://www.tme.eu/html/EN/degson-pc...on-15-mm_-pitch-5-mm/ramka_3300_EN_pelny.html
http://www.designworldonline.com/wago-804-series-push-button-pcb-terminal-blocks/#_
http://www.ttiinc.com/object/phoenix-contact-pit-terminal-blocks?utm=phoenixnav

 

[tfr000]

Gator clips... been there, done that. The leads on which the clips are mounted wear out very quickly.
Those Fahnestock clips are a thought... haven't seen those in years.
Most of the "pushbutton terminal block" stuff is just too small for this kind of thing. Production would scream if they had to use some little tool and squint in order to connect and disconnect 12 leads on 100 units.

 

[Averagesupernova]

tfr00 I don't think you get it. Concerning post #8 you would fasten the alligator clip to something solid then the lead attached to it would never move. You just push on the alligator clip and it opens up to accept the lead. I have built a lot of test fixtures over the years for production and the alligator clip mounted solid to a surface is a good idea.

 

[tfr000]

tfr00 I don't think you get it. Concerning post #8 you would fasten the alligator clip to something solid then the lead attached to it would never move. You just push on the alligator clip and it opens up to accept the lead. I have built a lot of test fixtures over the years for production and the alligator clip mounted solid to a surface is a good idea.

You're right I didn't get it... when I see a picture of alligator clips on the end of leads, without further explanation, that what I think of. But yes, that also seems like a good idea.
Thanks for the ideas, folks.

 

[Windadct]

Also - how long is the test process - can you use an A/B switch and have 2 sets of connectors, one is being connected/disconnected - as the other is under test? - This may allow the use of a more robust connector, I have to think that there a good / better solution out there for this - but I am not finding one.

 

[meBigGuy]

The alligator clip idea is a good one.

But I have to think that Wago will have a good solution or recommendation if you talk to them.

What is wrong with this?
http://www.newark.com/wago/261-104-341-000/terminal-block-pushbutton-4pos/dp/73C4061

 

[tfr000]

I have to think that there a good / better solution out there for this - but I am not finding one.

Exactly. I have been looking off and on for months.

What is wrong with this?
http://www.newark.com/wago/261-104-341-000/terminal-block-pushbutton-4pos/dp/73C4061

I can't find any dimensions for that particular one, but most of those are too small. You would need a pointy tool to push the little buttons.

 

[berkeman]

Do you have an in-house machine shop available as a resource? If so, it would be pretty straightforward to make easy-to-use hold-down assemblies based on standard test fixture clamps like these:

http://cloudfront.zorotools.com/product/large/3CWX7_AS01.JPG
http://cloudfront.zorotools.com/product/large/3CWX7_AS01.JPG


EDIT -- Use a non-conducting bolt/hold-down, pressing the stripped wire end down on a conducting pogo pin or spring finger.

EDIT 2 -- And in case it's not obvious, the receiving fixture should have V-grooves to accept/guide the wires into the hold-down part...

 

[tfr000]

So anyway, we finally came up with this:
http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/pdf/d4995_100.pdf

They are expensive, so they won't get used on everything. They are an answer to the original question, however.