Connector Life Cycle Test of USB Cable

Fri Sep 23 15:13:40 CST 2022

USB-Cable-Life-Cycle-Test

Connector Life Cycle Test of USB Cable

Purpose of Life Cycle test:

To determine the effect of plugging and unplugging actions on electronic connectors by simulating the expected life of the connector.

Life Cycle Test is applicable to the following products:

USB connector, Pin rows , round hole plug, audio plug socket, RJ45 connector and other connectors.

Life Cycle Test Method :

1. Test the insertion and extraction force and contact impedance of the sample before the life cycle test.

2. Test the insertion and extraction force and contact impedance of the sample after 5000 times cycle life test.

Testing equipment :

Plugging life testing machine. Principle: connectors and matching standard male / female chassis cyclic reciprocal contact plugging, to simulate the use of human plugging the real situation.

Horizontal-life-cycle-tester-machine

Test preparation:

1. Prepare the product: Make a conduction test to confirm good conduction for the sample to be tested.

2. Prepare matching standard Plug/Receptacle, otherwise it will affect the accuracy of the experimental results.

3. Conduct the test in normal temperature environment.

Test operation steps :

Step 1. Fix the Cable to be tested and the matching Plug/Receptacle on the fixture of the tester.

Step 2. Connect the leads of the Cable to the red and black clips (positive and negative) at the back of the device, so that the wires form a circuit. When the product is connected once, the counter counts once. The counter will stop counting automatically when it is not on.

Step 3. Adjust the eccentric wheel according to the size of the product and the plugging stroke.

Step 4. Adjust the up and down position of the fixture at the fixed end, so that the product to be tested can be inserted and removed smoothly. You can observe up close whether the gap between the four sides of the combined part of Plug/Receptacle is uniform when inserted, and fine-tune the position in the horizontal and vertical directions.

Step 5. Set the number of cycles as 5000.

Step 6. Adjust the speed of the test equipment by turning the speed knob on the operation panel to 18~25 rpm.

Step 7. Turn the eccentric wheel by hand for one plugging test, if there is no abnormality then the counter will be set as zero.

Step 8. Turn on the red power switch on the instrument control panel and press the green button to start the test. And press the red button to stop it if there is any abnormality during the test.

Caution:

1. Be sure to check whether the product to be tested is fixed.

2. After all the commissioning is ready, the test should check whether the equipment runs smoothly.

3. The counter must be zeroed before the test.

4. If the equipment runs continuously for a long time, it is recommended to check the operation of the equipment every 15 minutes.

Life Cycle Test Result Determination :

1. Wear of connector interface. 

2. Uneven wear, scuffing and peeling of the plating on the terminal and shell.

3. Metal flakes peeling off at the insertion surface.

4. Deformation, bending or breaking of the terminal.

5. Incapable of correct plugging and unplugging.

6. After the machine has finished running, test the insertion and extraction force of the sample, contact impedance, to see if the results meet the required standards.

How many interface Life Cycle Test times generally for USB cable?

The test cycle times of insertion and extraction is generally used industry-accepted standards, for those often in the connected state and rarely plugged cable, generally 3000 times is enough. A better cable to meet the 5000 times plug life times. For products that are frequently plugged and unplugged, they should meet the Life Cycle Test of 10,000 times, and generally customers will have specific requirements for their own products.


For more USB cable performance test items, please refer to this : USB Cable Testing Basic Inspections And Procedures

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By HornmicLink_Henry @220923 15:18