The standard, officially titled "Solderless connections – Part 5: Press-in connections – General requirements, test methods and practical guidance," establishes the global baseline for designing, testing, and qualifying solderless press-fit connections. Published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) , this standard ensures the long-term electrical stability and mechanical integrity of press-fit joints across industrial, automotive, and consumer electronics.
Are you currently transitioning from wave soldering to press-in technology? Let’s discuss the challenges and benefits in the comments! 👇
It provides a framework for testing against vibration, temperature cycling, and corrosive atmospheres—essential for harsh environment applications. Solderless Advantages:
Measuring insertion and retention forces across multiple samples. Environmental Aging:
Solderless process removes lead and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). iec 603525 pdf
Compliant pins allow for component replacement without damaging the PCB.
The 5th edition (2020) replaced the previous 2012 version. Significant technical changes include:
: Solid pins that force the plated-through hole (PTH) of the PCB to deform.
The standard applies to circuits up to . Let’s discuss the challenges and benefits in the comments
Resistance to corrosion, vibration, and thermal shock.
You can purchase the official document from the IEC Webstore or recognized authorized distributors like ANSI Webstore.
This is the most critical part. You cannot get a full, legal copy of a modern, copyrighted IEC standard for free from a download site. Trying to do so is illegal and risks downloading malware. Instead, use one of these official methods.
The standard sets rigid boundaries to prevent structural board damage while maintaining adequate electrical conductivity. Pin Variations: Solid vs. Compliant When forced into the hole
A press-in (or press-fit) connection is a where a specially engineered metallic terminal pin is pushed into a hole on a substrate. The pin's insertion zone features an intentionally oversized profile. When forced into the hole, the tight interference fit generates massive, continuous outward normal force. This continuous friction creates a highly reliable, gas-tight electrical and mechanical connection without melting metal.
It is important to clarify right away that there is .
, which modernized the standard by expanding its scope beyond traditional printed circuit boards (PCBs) to include non-printed materials and metal boards. ANSI Webstore