Applications of a Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastic Constitutive Model to Mechanical Responses of Electronic Connector Structures
Journal
Materials
Journal Volume
14
Journal Issue
19
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Ting-Chuan Huang
Abstract
The retention force of electronic connectors, in general one of the essential specification requirements, is defined as a maximum force of metallic terminals withdrawn out of the corre-sponding plastic housing. Accurate prediction of the retention force is an important issue in the connector design stage; however, it is not an easy task to accurately assess the retention force based on the authors’ knowledge. A finite element analysis is performed in conjunction with a self?coded user subroutine accounting for relaxation/creep behaviors of semi?crystalline thermoplastic polymers under various loading conditions in order to appraise the mechanical performance of the plastic base structure. Material parameters adopted in the constitutive model are evaluated by utilizing the automated design exploration and optimization commercial software. Applications of the developed subroutine with several damage criteria to assess retention forces of two electronic connectors were conducted. Retention forces predicted by utilizing the current constitutive model agreed fairly well with the associated experimental measurements. A dramatic improvement of the under-estimation of the retention force based on the approach commonly adopted in the industry is also demonstrated here. ? 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Subjects
Constitutive model of thermoplastic semi?crystalline polymers
Electronic connector
Failure assessment
Finite element analysis
Retention force
Constitutive models
Failure (mechanical)
Reinforced plastics
Thermoplastics
Constitutive model of thermoplastic semi?crystalline polymer
Crystalline thermoplastics
Electronic connectors
Finite element analyse
Force-based
Mechanical response
Semi-crystalline polymer
Semicrystallines
Finite element method
SDGs
Type
journal article