1. The Birth of Pogo Pin

Telescopic probe

The literal meaning of Pogo is "warping board". Pin is usually a small object that looks like a pointer. A spring needle is a small elastic needle with a spring, abbreviated as a spring needle.

HP designed the first pogo pin and registered the trademark over 20 years ago. It is used for HP designed printers to connect signals between boards, reducing the hassle of cable connections, making connections simpler, and making internal circuits cleaner.

The Pogo Pin spring needle appears to be a simple component, but without good quality control and perfect manufacturing technology, it is easy to experience power outages and needle jamming, or its durability (lifespan) is too short. Its craftsmanship is extremely delicate and complex, and every process from lathe processing, electroplating, and assembly may bring serious hidden dangers.

In terms of Pogo sales car processing, it is recommended to use Japan's core moving automatic lathe for processing, which can ensure the accuracy of the parts is within+/-0.01mm. But most factories use tool shifting machines for processing, so accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Secondly, the surface smoothness of lathe machining, especially the inner surface smoothness of needle tubes, is crucial. The vast majority of factories do not have surface roughness testing equipment, nor do they monitor this important parameter at all.

As for the electroplating process of Pogo pins, the thickness of the coating has a significant impact on the cost composition. Good quality gold plating costs 16-20u, but most other brands offer 1-2u, which is a significant difference. Secondly, the quality of gold plating inside the hole has a significant impact on the electrical performance (dynamic impedance) and mechanical properties of the product.

The assembly process of Pogo pins is also important. Poor assembly process can lead to serious problems such as needle tip offset, excessive gap between needle height and needle length, needle jamming, and nozzle detachment

Pogo pins are precision connectors used in electronic products such as mobile phones, and are widely used for connecting semiconductor devices.

Depending on the application, there are different appearances, but overall, the pogo pin has a precise spring structure inside. The surface of the product is generally gold-plated, and the unit price of the product is about 50 cents to 1 yuan.

The casing is charged or conductive. Most sleeves come into contact with the copper wall in a downward sloping direction, with the spring bearing a small amount. Therefore, the inner wall of the copper sleeve is required to be smooth. For example, the POGOPIN-Factory is made into a non sloping section, but the bottom is flat. Most of the current will be conducted through springs, and the requirements for springs will be very high. Of course, it is necessary to ensure that a power outage occurs when the current suddenly increases. (This is my actual usage experience)

Pogo needle is a spring probe formed by riveting and pre tightening the three basic components of the needle head, spring, and needle tube through precision instruments, with a precise spring structure inside. The surface coating of pogo pins is generally gold plated, which can better improve their anti-corrosion function, mechanical performance, electrical performance, etc. Pogo pins are commonly used for precision connections in electronic products such as mobile phones, communications, automobiles, healthcare, aerospace, etc., which can improve the corrosion resistance, stability, and durability of these connectors. Due to the fact that the pogo pin is a very delicate probe, when applied to precision connectors, it can reduce the weight and appearance volume of the connector, making it more refined and beautiful.

2/ Pogo pin manufacturing process
3/ Pogo Pin Product Specifications

1.0 Overview

This specification specifies the general performance parameters and testing requirements for the Pogo pin series products.

2.0 Requirements:

2.1 External dimensions

The external dimensions meet the requirements of the product drawings.

2.2 Materials and Coatings

The main body is made of brass alloy, and the nickel plated surface is covered with a gold plating layer. The thickness of the nickel layer and the gold plating layer varies depending on the usage situation, but the nickel layer needs to be greater than 60 inches and the gold plating needs to be greater than 4 inches.

The plunger is a brass alloy with a nickel plating layer covered with a gold plating layer. The thickness of the nickel layer and the gold plating layer should vary according to different applications, but the nickel layer should be greater than 60 inches and the gold plating should be greater than 16 inches.

The spring is made of stainless steel or electroplated piano steel wire. Plastic is high-temperature nylon and 30% fiberglass

3.0 Parameters
3.1 Continuous working current: less than 2.5A
3.2 Working voltage: below 36V@25 ℃
3.3 Service life: Over 10000 times
3.4 Working temperature