State of Health of Connectors ― Early Indicators

Lifetime tests of connectors are time consuming and labor intensive. Our study reveals a strong correlation between the statistical characteristics of contact resistance development in the early stages of lifetime tests and the final results of the tests. This correlation enables a further time lapse of lifetime tests and the prediction of the state of the health of connectors which can be utilized in the development of diagnostic strategy in sophisticated networks with very high number of connectors as well as in a quick classification of connectors with respect to their design features. Methods of statistical evaluation are introduced and the sensitivity analyses of different characteristics for the state of health of connectors are conducted.