Measurement of Contact Resistance Distribution in Fretting Corrosion Track for the Tin Plated Contacts

It is observed that contact resistance of tin plated contact in automotive connectors increased due to fretting corrosion, which is originated from heat cycle or vibration. In this study, the measurement condition is established to obtain the contact resistance distribution on fretting corrosion trace of tin plated contact in order to clarify the relationship between contact resistance and oxide formation. As the result, in the region of higher concentration of oxygen measured by EDX analysis, the contact resistance is tended to be measured higher. And the contact resistance of whole contact trace is estimated by static electric field analysis based on contact resistance distribution at contact trace. These analysis results are approximately agreement with the contact resistance on fretting corrosion experimentally.