Press-Fit connectors qualification for space

Press-Fit connectors – Conference paper to the Space Passive Components Days October 2018.

The burgeoning demand for the incorporation of disruptive technologies into space industry clearly requires fast and reliable procedures for the space qualification of these innovative components. This also entails a close collaboration between the manufacturing and qualification laboratories not only to determine the reliability but also to analyze the root cause of eventually present fails, as a first step for the development of enhanced qualified products.

A clear example of this collaboration, we assess the implementation of press-fit connectors conceived for PCB systems in space application. The good results and the accuracy of the comprehensive study were presented at the Space Passive Components Days Symposium (SPCD) that was held on October 2018 at the ESA European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC).

SPCD is an ESA organized conference where the most important space research institutions, manufacturers and public bodies (ESA, NASA, and JAXA) present their innovations in the state of the art of space passive components.

The presented work illustrates the capabilities of Alter Technology to conduct verification programs on PCB assembled systems. In fact, this is a complex process that involves strict environmental test as well as accurate and thorough electrical measurements and microsection inspections as indicated in the test flow below.