Micro Profiles (Contact Tapes)
What are "Micro Profiles (Contact Tapes)" ？
Micro-profile contact tapes are ultra-miniature electrical contacts used in relays and switches, which function as signal control components in electronic devices. A relay receives an external electrical signal and performs the opening, closing, or switching of an electrical circuit. Relays are widely used in communications equipment, industrial systems, and consumer electronics, supporting reliable signal control across diverse applications.
Our micro profiles enable the miniaturization of relays and switches at a low cost.
Using our unique precision bonding technology, we offer multilayer contacts of different types of metals that can be used with a wide range of loads from minute electric currents to several amperes.
TANAKA’s Micro Profiles (Contact Tapes)
Features
- Allows multilayer bonding of different types of metals
- Contact tape with excellent bonding strength across its entire length
- Allows reduced sizes of relays and switches.
- Various options for contact shape and material are available, and the thickness of each layer can be customized.
- Method for forming the gold (Au) layer on the surface can be selected depending on the desired properties (cladding or sputtering).
- Multilayer tapes with silver oxides free of cadmium are also available (for contact materials, see Electrical Contact Materials).
- Improved anti-adhesion due to high hardness of Au layer
- Improved environmental resistance (oxidation and sulfuration) due to the formation of an Au layer on the outer periphery
- Has low hardness of Au layer, which tends to stabilize contact resistance
Continuous welding of micro profiles (contact tapes) for spring materials and materials for terminals
Various contact materials and shapes are available to suit a variety of applications.
Please contact us regarding materials, shapes, and dimensions for further details..
Applications
Relays and switches for automotive use, home electronics, and industrial use, magnet switches, breakers, etc.
Miniaturized Micro Profiles (Contact Tapes)
Next-Generation Contact for Fifth-Generation Signal Relays
Minimum width of 0.2 mm, making it the smallest-sized contact tape for signal relays. Using miniaturized micro profiles can make contacts lighter in weight and suppress bounce and chatterin during the opening and closing of contacts.
Features
- Au layer clad or sputtering can be selected according to requirements
- Bounce can be minimized by using smaller and lighter contacts
- Electrical signals can be controlled more accurately, which helps to prevent malfunctions in devices
- Miniaturization of contact material contributes to lower power consumption and material savings, leading to cost reduction
- Can contribute to relay downsizing and reduction of mounting area
History of Miniaturization of Signal Relay Contacts ※Based on research by TANAKA
Since entering practical use in the 1830s, relays have been embedded in various electronic devices. Research and development of signal relays and contacts have progressed together with the development of electronic devices, with relays and the contacts inside them becoming smaller.
TANAKA has been developing contacts for signal relays since the 1970s, succeeding in developing contacts (0.3 mm tape width) for fourth-generation signal relays in 1998 and contacts (0.25 mm tape width) for fifth-generation signal relays in 2023. Fifth-generation signal relays are used in various fields requiring a high level of reliability, such as communication devices, semiconductor inspection equipment, medical devices, network cameras, smart consumer electronics, and automobiles.
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