![](http://datasheet.mmic.net.cn/370000/ort551_datasheet_16727802/ort551_23.png)
21
REED SWITCH
REED SWITCH RELIABILITY
2.
Our Original Technology Supports High
Reliability.
2-1 Deactivated rhodium contacts
Our reed switches are extremely reliable
because of the use of rhodium as the con-
tact material.
Rhodium has two superior properties for
use as contact material. The first is its
extreme hardness which is effective in
preventing sticking. The second is the high
melting point which remarkably reduces
contact surface wear caused by joule heat
and arc discharge. However, since
rhodium belongs to the platinum group, it
is absorptive and catalytic.
Therefore, rhodium-plated contacts ad-
sorb organic impurities and form poly-
mers during operations as shown in Fig-
ure 2.1. This greatly increases the contact
resistance. In the low-level load opera-
tion, this phenomenon is particularly no-
ticeable.
In order to deactivate the rhodium-plated
contact, we have developed a unique high
temperature oxygen treatment. This tech-
nique makes the organic impurities built
on the surface burned with oxygen and
forms oxygen molecule layer on the con-
tact which in turn provide stable contact
resistance. This unique method won the
highest prize (Schneider Award) at the
21st National Relay Conference in Okla-
homa, USA, in 1973.
Our technology is valued highly, and at
the 36th and 38th Annual National Relay
Conferences we also received the
Schneider Awards for research on reed
switch contact surface phenomena.
Our patents have been registered in Japan
(Pat. No. 916386), USA (Pat. No. 3857175)
and West Germany (Pat. No. 2303587).
2-2 High performance, automatic sealing
equipment
Sealing is the process of forming the reed
switch from the assembly of pressed and
plated reed and glass tube. This is one of
the most important processes which de-
mands severe quality control and man-
agement. At the time of sealing, working
temperature reaches 1000
°
C which makes
the glass tube impurities evaporate and
causes the reed switch contact surface to
be contaminated. To prevent the effects of
these phenomena, we have developed se-
vere standards for selection of glass mate-
rial. In addition we also use unique tech-
nology for automatic sealing. Improve-
ments in manufacturing method such as
these enable us to produce extremely high
quality reed switches.
2-3 Magnetic flux scanning test (FS test) for
measuring contact resistance
Sealing processes are performed under
severe quality control and management.
However, there is still a slight possibility
for magnetic foreign particles to enter into
the glass tube. We have conducted exten-
sive research into the detection of
microparticles and we developed the
“Magnetic Flux Scanning Test” as an ex-
tremely high reliability technique for mea-
suring contact resistance.
A general description is shown in Figure
2.2 where the magnetic attractive force
from multiple layers of coils cause the
magnetic foreign particles to move to the
contact part of the reed switch. During
check of the contact resistance, foreign
particles are detected.
Since we use this unique technology, we
have succeeded in making rapid progress
toward improving reed switch reliability.