Test Pin Head Style

Hello, I am designing a PCB test fixture which is to house PCB boards with test pad that have a 1.28mm diameter. Is there any advice you could provide on picking the test pin head style and size to purchase for these test pads?

Thanks,
Nate

You might find some useful candidate products in this family, or perhaps here.

I don’t claim to be any sort of authority on the topic, but I expect that some things you’d want to take into account would be the finish of the surface that will be contacted, its geometry, and the nature of the signal(s) being probed. A round head would probably be good for a nice ENIG-finished flat pad, while leaving minimal marks on the board. If you’re looking at probing at a solder joint or on a HASL-finished pad that’s got potential to get oxidized on you, then a more aggressive probe tip might be appropriate to cut through any oxidation or residues that may be present. If you’re trying to probe an RF signal or carry high currents, those would bring other concerns.

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