This section provides an overview for contact pins as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 18 contact pin manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked contact pin companies as of November, 2024: 1.TORIN Products, Inc., 2.Norstan, Inc., 3.S & H Glenco Manufacturing, LLC.
Table of Contents
A contact pin is a component used to connect electrical signals, consisting of crimp terminals. Contact pins are commonly employed in situations where soldering is challenging or when cable connections need to be made over the shortest possible distance for compactness. They are individually modularized, allowing for the replacement or reuse of each contact. There are various standards, and some types can connect directly to the circuit board.
Materials used for contact pins typically include brass, pure copper, and phosphor bronze, with gold-plated or tin-plated surfaces to prevent corrosion. Phosphor bronze offers greater flexibility, while pure copper is used for power supply applications.
Contact pins find applications in various forms, including connections between wire cables and pin-socket type connector terminals in factory automation equipment and electronic devices.
They are also widely used in industrial settings, such as power connection terminals for evaluation boards for various ICs and modules, LAN boards for data communication, and control lines for aerospace industry equipment.
It is important to note that the shape and size of contact pins can vary depending on their intended use, so careful consideration is required when selecting the appropriate contact pins for a specific application.
Contact pins, often referred to as contacts, come in two main types: male and female. Pin contacts are male, and socket contacts are female. Male contacts are also known as posts, while female contacts are referred to as housings.
When connecting to a circuit board, a connector that mates with the board, known as a post with a base, is used in conjunction with the housing. The contact pins connected to the wire cable establish electrical connections with the wiring on the board side via the connector.
Each contact pin is electrically connected to the cable through a crimp connection. The central part is the core wire section for crimping the core wire, while the outer part is the sheath section that is securely tightened along with the cable. The central part is also called the core wire barrel and is tightened together with the cable. The sheathed part is also known as the sheathed barrel.
A special crimping tool is used for crimping the contact pins to the cable, and the selection of the tool should be based on the size range of the pins.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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TORIN Products, Inc. is a manufacturer of springs and wire forms that was established in 1965 in Nebraska, USA. The company produces various types of springs, including torsion springs that resist twisting, flat springs that can be made in complex shapes, and compression spring models for resisting compressive forces or energy storage purposes. The company also provides additional support, such as contract manufacturing, testing, and finishing services. Some of its notable clients are Raytheon, Ford, and Medtronic.
Norstan, Inc., established in 1966 and headquartered in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, is a manufacturer of precision electrical contacts and stampings. The company's offerings include electrical contact rivets, metal stampings, furnace and resistance brazing, cold heading, and wire forming. These products are integral to applications involving the connection and transmission of electrical signals and power, such as switches, relays, circuit breakers, sensors, and motors. Norstan also extends metallurgy and engineering support, along with testing services for its products. The company's manufacturing facility adheres to the standards of the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.
Form Cut Industries, Inc. was established in 1961 and is headquartered in Newark, NJ, and is a manufacturer of plastic parts and terminal pins for small metal parts for specialty applications. The portfolio includes straight pins, pins with cutouts, machined wire form, copper connectors, hooks, and many more. Each year, the company produces millions of connection, terminal, hermetic, and straight pins. The company follows all the systems and procedures of the manufacturing process to comply with MIL-STD-I-45208A and MIL-STD-Q-9858A. By concentrating on pins only, the company is able to provide a wide range of pin shapes and forms.
CeramTec North America is the American subsidiary of CeramTec of Plochingen, Germany. CeramTech North America is headquartered in Laurens, South Carolina. As a fully integrated advanced ceramics manufacturer capable of handling every phase of the development and manufacturing of hermetic products, especially for those in the automotive, chemical, electronics, and medical equipment markets. Technical ceramics products are divided into four major groups of materials: silicate ceramics often made from raw materials and alumina, oxide ceramics including zirconium oxide, non-oxide ceramics based on materials such as carbon, and piezoceramics used to convert signals to and from mechanical and electrical.
Astro Precision, Inc. is a manufacturer and supplier of precision manufacturing solutions, catering to various industries worldwide. Located at South Windsor, Connecticut, the company has a comprehensive range of manufactured parts including custom headed pins, electrical and body contacts, fourslide and multislide products, leads, and surface mount connectors. They also facilitate secondary operations with services such as ground points, chamfering, knurling, special rolled shapes, welding, and assembly, offering a complete package for component assemblies. Their materials range from brass, phosphor bronze, and nickel-silver to low and high carbon steel, stainless steel, and other alloys.
Aerotronics is an American private manufacturer of military control systems that was established in Jupiter, Florida, in 2008. The company’s product lineup includes space vehicle controllers for spacecraft such as the Commercial Crew Transportation System (CCTS) and Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), as well as weapons system controllers for various missiles including Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGMs) and Joint Strike Missiles (JSMs). It also produces hands on throttle-and-sticks (HOTAS) controllers for F, AH, UH, and CH-series aircraft models. Aerotronics chiefly serves the aerospace and defense industries, as well as clients in aviation, flight schools, and research institutions.
Glenair, established in 1956, is a manufacturer and supplier of connectors and cables for mission-critical land, sea, air, and space applications, and is headquartered in Glendale, California, USA. Their range of products includes connectors, backshells, cable assemblies, conduit systems, and accessories, used for transmitting large volumes of data for smooth communication and operation of critical systems. These products serve industries such as aerospace, defense, oil and gas, and telecommunications. Glenair holds both ISO 9001 and AS9100 certifications.
Bead Electronics, founded in Milford, CT, in 1914, is a manufacturer of end to end, wire, and tubular contact pins. The company's product portfolio includes hollow pins, slimline bulb pins, solid wire pins, true grip pins and pin assemblies. The company serves markets including Medical and Healthcare, Aerospace and Defense, Consumer Goods, Industrial Manufacturing and Construction and Building. Bead Electronics also provide services including product selection, installation, preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair.
Founded in San Clemente, California in 1997, NetSource Technology, Inc. is an independent stocking distributor of electronic components and global procurement services, providing comprehensive supply chain solutions to OEMs and contract manufacturers worldwide. NetSource Technology serves the aerospace, automotive, IoT, medical, mobile device, and telecommunications industries and related companies. NetSource Technology specializes in locating hard-to-find, obsolete, end-of-life and highly allocated components with long lead times, supporting customers throughout the complete supply chain lifecycle.
C.W. Swift & Associates, Inc. was founded in 1958 in Van Nuys, California where it still stands as a family-run business. The company is a distributor of standard and non-standard RF and microwave electronics. The company’s line card includes products from manufacturers such as RF Industries, M Wave Design, Connectronics, and Johanson Manufacturing. The company’s product list includes coaxial connectors, precision grade adapters, and many other items, each organized according to the manufacturer.
S & H Glenco Manufacturing, LLC is a US-based company that provides high-precision machining, fabrication, and assembly services to various industries, including aerospace, defense, medical, oil and gas. They specialize in manufacturing complex components and assemblies that require tight tolerances and strict quality standards. Established in 1968, the company become a dependable partner for many of its clients. While they have not received any awards, their steadfastness to providing cost-effective solutions has helped them earn a standing as a proven and capable manufacturing partner. The company continuous improvement and prioritizes investment in technologies and equipment to maintain a competitive advantage.
JC Cherry, Inc. was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in San Jose, California. The company serves markets including semiconductors, medical, military, industrial, and automobile as a distributor of electronic components including RF connectors and round socket pins produced by JC Electronics Corporation of Tokyo, Japan. The company functions as an importer and exporter of electronic parts and instruments, arts, crafts, and industrial products. The company also manufactures electronics components including PCB connectors, sockets for transistors & diodes, and test sockets for IC devices.
SteinAir Inc. is a supplier of avionics and aircraft systems that was established in 1984, the company is based in Faribault, Minnesota, USA. The company's main activities involve supplying avionics products and systems for aviation enthusiasts and pilots. Its product range includes Avionics, RV-14, Garmin G3X Touch, Dynon Avionics, PS Engineering, and Avidyne Avionics. SteinAir Inc has been serving the aviation sector from its multiple factories. SteinAir offers services like avionics installation, custom cables, harnesses, instrument panels transponder checks, and wiring schematics. The company also offer support for ADS-B and Electrical System Planning.
FINECS CO. LTD. is a Japanese ISO 9001 certified manufacturer of electronic components established in 1969 and based in Nakaniikawa-gun, Toyama. The company produces various standard as well as custom components for electronics such as terminals, pins, connectors, and sockets. It also offers design, precision stamping, semiconductor wire bonding, and cable assembly services for customers with unique project requirements. The company primarily serves clients in the semiconductor, IT, consumer electronics, medical device, and automotive industries.
Robert A. Main & Sons Manufacturing LLC (RAMSCO), founded in 1955, is a manufacturer of pins, pointed wire products, pinned rolls, perforator wheels, and custom precision pointed parts for discerning customers worldwide, located in the United States. The company serves a range of industries including electronics, construction materials, converting, and brush & comb fabrication and more. They produce bespoke pins for any application and boasts ready-to-ship stock of millions of pins in thousands of sizes. Their state-of-the-art New Jersey shop is capable of manufacturing vast quantities of products.
Keystone Electronics Corp. has a 70 year history and is headquartered in New Hyde Park, New York. Keystone is a global manufacturer of precision electronic components and hardware. Keystone is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Keystone offers several types of products including battery & coin cell holders, contacts, && clips, fuse clips & fuse holders, handles for instrumentation, metal key-pad dome switches, multi-purpose hardware, PC board hardware, plugs, pins, jacks, sockets, quick-fit terminals, screw terminals, terminal blocks, screws, spacers, standoffs, terminals, terminal boards, test points, tips, probes, jumpers, and clips. Keystone also offers custom manufacturing capabilities including stamping, machining, assembly, tool room, and quality assurance.
Seiken Co. Limited is a manufacturer based in Tokyo, Japan and produces electronic component testing devices. Seiken mainly manufactures two types of contact probes. The first is the Standard type contact probes and it's used for testing printed circuit boards and electronic components. Secondly they produce Double Plunger contact probes which is used in semiconductor testing. In the field of test fixtures they develop Flat Panel lighting inspection units. Flat Panel Display is an electronic viewing technology used in smartphones, cameras and car navigation. In addition their product range also includes semiconductor inspection devices, electronic component inspection gadgets.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | TORIN Products, Inc. |
17.5%
|
2 | Norstan, Inc. |
7.1%
|
3 | S & H Glenco Manufacturing, LLC |
6.6%
|
4 | Astro Precision, Inc. |
6.6%
|
5 | Aerotronics |
6.6%
|
6 | Glenair |
6.1%
|
7 | CeramTec North America LLC |
5.2%
|
8 | Bead Electronics |
4.7%
|
9 | Amphenol Sine Systems. |
4.7%
|
10 | C. W. Swift & Associates, Inc. |
4.7%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the contact pin page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 14 | 87.5% |
Japan | 2 | 12.5% |
28 products are listed.
Texam Co., Ltd.
40+ people viewing
■ Super -high -high vacuum connector ・ The material for ultra -high and true vacuum is Macole Ceramic, PEEK, etc. ・ In addition, we also handle c...
HARTING Technology Group
20+ people viewing
It is a series of crimping contacts and crimping tools. We have various types. * There are other part numbers.
Texam Co., Ltd.
60+ people viewing
Last viewed: 21 hours ago
■ Vacuumed connector for Takamasa In addition, we also handle contact pin sockets and pressure tools.