Calculate contact force, spring rate, contact resistance, and spring-back for electrical spring contacts
Bending stress exceeds yield strength
The contact spring will plastically deform and lose its set force. Reduce deflection, increase thickness, or switch to a higher-strength material like BeCu.
Contact force below 0.3 N
Contact force is very low. For reliable electrical contact, a minimum of 0.3–0.5 N is typically recommended to break through surface oxides and maintain stable contact resistance.
Deflection exceeds elastic limit
The applied deflection exceeds the maximum elastic deflection. The contact will take a permanent set and lose spring-back force over time.
Created by Catlynn Nguyen & Jie Chai · 2026