The AMP Miniature Spring Socket System is composed of a series of individual sockets, each utilizing a permanently secured helical spring design to accept round, square or rectangular leads interchangeably in a diameter range of .012 to .065 [0.30 to 1.65]. The unique Miniature Spring Socket design (helical spring for multiple points of contact and a crimped spring and eyelet) provides low contact resistance while most other manufacturers utilize a spring pressed into a sleeve.
The pluggable, low-profile system allows tighter board stacking and increased printed circuit board clearance with pin densities up to .070 [1.78] grid spacing. Since Miniature Spring Sockets are a system, the damage to components and conductive patterns normally experienced through excessive temperatures in hand, wave, SMT or IRR soldering operations is eliminated.
The Miniature Spring Socket System is compatible with a broad range of application tooling available to support the various manufacturing levels. The tooling consists of a pneumatic hand insertion tool capable of inserting 2000 polyester tape-mounted sockets per hour, bench machines for loose piece and polyester tape products, with insertion rates up to 3000 sockets per hour, and the fully automatic Comp-U-Sertor II machine featuring interchangeable insertion heads for high volume application of polyester tape-mounted sockets (up to 14,000 insertions per hour).