Compact connectivity, maximum uptime for PCB testing in climate chambers

For many electronics manufacturers, environmental testing is limited by connectivity between test adapters, climate chambers, and mobile racks. Harsh conditions, high contact density, and frequent changes push standard connectors to their limits.

The project required a robust printed circuit boards (PCBs) test setup for climatic chambers, covering extreme temperature cycles, thermal shock, humidity, and salt mist exposure. To ensure lab flexibility, two interfaces were needed: between PCB adapters inside the thermal chambers, and between the chambers and a mobile test rack. The solution demanded compact, modular, and highly reliable connectivity capable of handling dense signals under harsh conditions while maximizing performance and uptime.

The challenge: combining power, signal and thermocouples in one connector

The customer engineering team faced a clear challenge: they needed an all in one connector that could reliably combine thermocouples, a high density of signal and power contacts in a very compact interface, without compromising performance under extreme climatic and corrosive conditions. The connectors had to withstand continuous exposure to humidity, salt mist, and rapid temperature changes inside the climate chambers, while maintaining low contact resistance and stable measurement signals over many mating cycles.

At the same time, the test setup needed two distinct connection interfaces – between the PCB test adapters and the climate chamber, and between the climate chambers and a mobile testing rack – which increased the importance of a robust, modular design that remained easy and safe for engineers to operate. Conventional solutions on the market could not provide this level of contact density, thermocouple integration and corrosion resistance in a single compact connector, making fast, expert support during the design phase critical to avoid delays, redesigns and risks to test quality.

CombiTac – the all-in-one connector 

To address these requirements, Stäubli proposed a compact modular connector solution that combined signal, power and thermocouple contacts in a single interface. Specific module configurations were defined to meet the exact mix of contacts required in the application. 

The selected connector system is based on Stäubli’s high precision, robust modular design, which ensures consistent signal and power transfer even under extreme test conditions such as rapid temperature changes and high humidity. The architecture supports a high density of contacts in a compact space, while the contact technology and materials are designed to deliver long life, low contact resistance and low contact heating over thousands of cycles.

From a usability perspective, the modular concept allows the customer to configure and adapt the connector layout to different projects and PCB test adapters. This fits seamlessly with Stäubli’s broader value proposition for testing: fast setup and reconfiguration for new product lines, standardized interfaces across setups, and simplified connections that can integrate power, signals and thermocouples in one step.

Simplified setup, higher uptime and easy scalability

With the new connector system in place, the customer now uses a compact all in one interface between PCB test adapters, climate chambers and the mobile testing rack. Quick, repeatable mating simplifies daily setup and is essential when multiple boards, programs and environmental profiles run on the same test line.

The high precision, corrosion resistant contacts ensure stable measurements, fewer connector related failures and reduced maintenance effort, which lowers lifecycle costs and supports continuous operation. Thanks to the modular, standardized layout, engineering teams can easily adapt the interface to new PCB designs or additional climate chambers, shortening project setup times and accelerating time to test for new products.

Throughout the design phase, Stäubli provided the integrator with quick and responsive engineering support. This support helped validate the configuration, ensure mechanical compatibility with the climate chamber interfaces, and provide integration documentation and guidance. Competing suppliers were unable to match this combination of thermocouple integration, contact density, compactness and technical support, which made the Stäubli solution the preferred choice.