Measurement of contact resistance for copper and aluminium conductors

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Napieralska-Juszczak, Ewa^{a; *} | Komeza, Krzysztof^c | Morganti, Fabrice^a | Sykulski, Jan K.^b | Vega, Guillaume^d | Zeroukhi, Youcef^a

Affiliations: [a] LSEE, UA, Technoparc Futura, F-62400 Bethune, France | [b] School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK | [c] Institute of Mechatronics and Information Systems, Technical University of Lodz Stefanowskiego 18/2, Lodz, Poland | [d] Nexans, 62300 Lens, Bd de Marais, France Company/Institution, France

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Ewa Napieralska Juszczak, LSEE, Universite Artois, Technoparc Futura, 62400 Bethune, France. E-mail:[email protected]

Abstract: During manufacturing of multi-strand cables the conductors are subjected to twisting and pressing which result in a creation of contact regions between individual wires. The resistivity of such contact regions differs from the resistivity of copper or aluminum. In this paper the resistivity is established by comparing measurements of resistivity with simulations using a finite element method. The non-homogeneity of the contact imprint has been accounted for and the presented results show the dependence of the contact resistance on several parameters, including compression force, imprint depth, intersecting angle and stranding pitch.

Keywords: Contact resistance, contact area, compressing force, mechanical deformation, multi-strand cables

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-160025

Journal: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 53, no. 4, pp. 617-629, 2017