TE has developed highly scalable shrapnel and a complete range of shrapnel

As the demand for electronic devices continues to rise, so does the need for reliable internal connections. In response to this growing trend, TE Connectivity (formerly Tyco Electronics) has introduced a highly scalable range of shrapnel products designed to meet the increasing needs across various industries.

The height of TE's height-adjustable shrapnel ranges from 1.8 mm to 3.4 mm. "All models are mounted at the same point, making it easy for customers to switch between designs without significant rework," said Eric Himelright, Director of Product Management at TE. "With our new scalable shrapnel, we aim to reduce design costs, shorten time-to-market, and improve ROI for our clients."

A key feature of TE’s high-performance shrapnel is its preload function, which provides nearly double the working area compared to traditional shrapnel and increases contact force by 0.2N. The product also features dimpled contact surfaces to enhance reliability. The back-bend tip eliminates sharp edges, reducing line-to-line capacitance on printed circuit boards. Additionally, the shrapnel includes a pick-and-place position for seamless integration into automated assembly lines. Small holes on the bottom of the component improve solder strength while minimizing hot solder joints.

In addition to the height-adjustable shrapnel, TE offers a full line of shrapnel products in various sizes and models. Currently, four models are available, with effective heights ranging from 0.3 mm to 6.5 mm and widths from 0.8 mm to 2.5 mm. These compact components take up minimal space on PCBs and are compatible with standard soldering and pick-and-place equipment.

Shrapnel, also known as spring-shielded clips or universal ground contacts, serves three main functions: grounding between the device and the PCB, shielding against vibration from motors, antennas, speakers, and microphones, and acting as a signal connector to link primary and secondary PCBs in stacked applications.

Olive Wu, a TE product specialist, noted, "TE shrapnel is used across a wide range of applications—from mobile devices and PCs to home entertainment systems and industrial equipment." These versatile components are ideal for small PCBs and offer reliable performance in demanding environments.