Electrical engineering

The electrical engineering industry is one of the key pillars of modern industrial and infrastructure systems. Whether energy distribution, automation, building technology or industrial control systems – reliable electrical connections are the foundation of safe and efficient operation. Contact materials play a decisive role, as they directly influence conductivity, switching behavior and service life of electrical components.

Importance of Contact Materials in Electrical Engineering

Electrical contacts are responsible for safely closing and opening circuits and transmitting electrical energy with minimal losses. They must perform reliably under a wide range of conditions – from low control currents to high switching and inrush currents. The quality of the selected contact materials has a direct impact on operational safety, efficiency and maintenance requirements.

Typical Requirements for Contact Materials

In electrical engineering, contact materials must meet a variety of application-specific requirements:

• Low and stable contact resistance throughout the service life
• High electrical and thermal conductivity
• Resistance to erosion, arcing and welding
• Mechanical stability under frequent switching cycles
• Corrosion and oxidation resistance
• Good manufacturability in stamping, welding and assembly processes

As no single material fulfills all requirements optimally, alloys and composite materials are used to achieve the necessary balance of properties.

Silver-Based Contact Materials as a Standard Solution

Silver-based contact materials have become the industry standard in electrical engineering. Silver offers the highest electrical conductivity of all metals and serves as the base for a wide range of alloys and composite systems:

• Ag (fine silver): Very low contact resistance, ideal for signal and control applications.
• AgNi (silver-nickel): Balanced combination of conductivity, hardness and arc resistance – widely used in installation and device technology.
• AgSnO₂ (silver-tin oxide): High wear and arc resistance, cadmium-free – preferred for industrial and power applications.
• AgC (silver-graphite): High welding resistance for high switching loads.

Applications in Electrical Engineering

Contact materials are used in almost all areas of electrical engineering, including:

• Switches, relays and contactors
• Installation devices for building technology
• Control and regulation systems
• Plug-in systems, terminals and fuse components
• Automation and power engineering

Quality, Standards and Traceability

Consistent quality and compliance with international standards are essential in electrical engineering. Contact materials and components must be clearly documented and traceable. Key requirements include:

• REACH and RoHS compliance
• Batch-based material traceability
• Material datasheets and inspection reports
• Quality management according to ISO 9001

Conclusion

The electrical engineering industry places high demands on reliability, safety and service life. Contact materials are a key functional element in meeting these requirements. The targeted use of silver-based contact materials and optimized composite solutions enables efficient, durable and cost-effective electrical systems. Application-oriented material selection is therefore a decisive success factor in modern electrical engineering.