This international standard outlines the general requirements, test methods, and practical guidance for solderless press-in connections. A press-in connection involves taking a termination (like a pin) with a specific "press-in zone" and forcing it into a plated-through hole on a board.
A properly wrapped connection (per IEC 60352-5) creates a gas-tight joint where oxygen cannot penetrate. This prevents corrosion over 20+ years, which is superior to many soldered joints that can crack due to thermal stress.
Wrapped connections can be unwrapped and re-wrapped several times without damaging the terminal post, provided procedures follow the standard’s guidance. iec 60352-5 pdf
The standard implicitly relies on the theory of contact resistance:
Search engines often suggest “free” PDFs, but you must be careful. IEC standards are copyrighted publications; obtaining an illegal copy exposes your company to legal and compliance risks. More importantly, free PDFs may be outdated (e.g., the 2008 or 2012 version) or contain errors. For product certification and regulatory compliance, you need the standard. This prevents corrosion over 20+ years, which is
Press-in connections offer several advantages over soldering:
By ensuring your manufacturing processes map directly to the requirements in the IEC 60352-5 standard, you guarantee global compatibility, mechanical longevity, and electrical integrity for your electronic assemblies. and corrosive gases (e.g.
Limits on how much the PCB hole can deform or bulge during insertion. 2. Press-In Termination (The Pin) Pins are evaluated based on their mechanical behavior.
It covers press-in terminations inserted into plated-through holes of double-sided or multilayer printed boards.
Subjects the test connections to extreme conditions such as thermal shock, humidity, and corrosive gases (e.g., mixed flowing gas testing). This verifies that the "gas-tight" nature of the compliant pin joint remains intact over the product’s lifecycle, preventing oxidation. Where to Obtain the Official IEC 60352-5 PDF
Implementing designs that meet IEC 60352-5 allows manufacturing facilities to unlock significant advantages over traditional wave or selective soldering: