All you need to know about a probe pin

Probe pin: What is it?

In many modern electronic applications and in the electronics testing industry, a pogo pin or spring-loaded pin is a type of electrical connector mechanism used. They are chosen for their increased reliability over other electrical connections and the resistance of mechanical shock and vibration of their electrical link.

The name pogo pin derives from the similarity of the pin to a pogo stick-a continuous normal force against the back of the mating receptacle or contact plate is exerted by the integral helical spring in the pin, counteracting any unnecessary motion that could otherwise trigger an intermittent attachment.

Components of a probe pin:

There are 3 key sections of a simple spring-loaded pin: a plunger, barrel, and spring. The spring is squeezed as strength is added to the bolt, and the plunger travels within the barrel. The barrel design preserves the plunger, preventing the spring when the pin is not locked in place from moving it out.

A certain amount of friction is required in the construction of electrical contacts to keep a connector in place and maintain the contact finish. However, since it increases tension and wear on the touch springs and housings, increased friction is undesirable. To produce this friction, a precise normal force, usually about 1 newton, is therefore necessary.Engineering socket and probe pins require components that require lot of manufacturing.

Raw materials for probe/pogo pin:

As a base material to which a thin film of nickel is added, the plunger and barrel of pogo pins typically use brass or copper. Manufacturers also add gold plating, which increases toughness and touch resistance, as is typical in electrical connectors. Usually, the springs are made from copper alloys or spring steel.Engineering socket and probe pins are difficult to design they require precision.

Uses of Probe pins:

For a wide range of uses, both in industrial and consumer electronics, spring-loaded connectors are used:

1. Connectors board-to-board (usually permanent)
2. Ingress-protected connectors, such as smart watches, durable machines, in consumer electronics
3. Terminals with batteries on laptops
4. Magnetic charging or signal ports, e.g. docks and chargers for laptops (see § Magnet combination)
5. Connectors with high frequencies, e.g. antennas, camera connectors
6. Checking Printed Circuit Boards
7. Checking integrated circuits
8. Checking in-circuit
9. Checking batteries
10. Checking Some Electronics

Printed circuit boards:

Spring Contact Test Probes are used to make contact on printed circuit boards (PCB’s), modules and wiring fields with different test points. The probes may be used to test connector-cable structures as they are used in special test modules. It is also possible to use the test probes in control engineering systems or as a charging touch. A tubular barrel, a spring and a plunger are made up of Spring Touch Test Probes. A number of tip shapes and varying spring pressures may have plunger tip types. This guarantees the strongest interaction with the surface of the test. It is also possible to install probes in receptacles (housing units) where an electrical link is formed.

Test Tooling Solutions Group manufactures a variety of semiconductor tools and testers with high quality precision. They have R&D experts who will be able to understand the customer needs and deliver accordingly.