How to choose the right Conductive Particles?

Choosing conductive steel balls essentially involves balancing conductivity, hardness, and cost. Follow these four steps to quickly determine the appropriate specifications:

Select Conductivity Based on Plating

• Silver/Gold Plating: Extremely low resistance (<5mΩ), used for high-frequency signals or medical devices.

• Copper Plating: The best value for money, good conductivity, used for general switches and connectors.

• Bare Copper/Stainless Steel: Bare copper has good conductivity but is prone to oxidation; stainless steel (304/316) has weak conductivity but is corrosion-resistant, suitable for humid environments or nickel plating baths (to prevent iron ion contamination).

Select Fit Based on Diameter 

• When using for barrel plating of conductive media, the steel ball diameter = 1/3 to 1/2 of the workpiece hole or gap size.

• When used for switch contacts, select directly based on the structural space; tolerance must be within ±0.01mm. 

Consider "Precision" to Determine Price

• G10-G100 (High Precision): Used for precision instruments and military applications.

• G100-G1000 (Standard Grade): Used for barrel plating media or general fillers; lower price.

Consider "Hardness" to Prevent Contamination

• Ordinary carbon steel beads are the hardest but prone to rust, producing iron powder that contaminates the plating solution.

• Stainless steel beads (Recommended): Sufficient hardness and no iron contamination; suitable for high-end processes such as nickel/gold plating.