A Study on Improving the Consistency of the Contact System in Half Size Relay Based on Optimal Stress-Relief Parameters of Ag-Mg-Ni Materials

The half size hermetically sealed electromagnetic relay (HSER), widely used in aerospace applications, offers advantages such as compact size, light weight, and strong environmental adaptability. With increasing demands for system reliability, the performance consistency of relay batches has become a critical determinant of overall system dependability. Among the influencing factors, the alignment between actuation and counterforce plays a decisive role in HSER performance. Consequently, consistency in the actuation-counterforce system has emerged as a growing design requirement. This study focuses on improving batch-level counterforce consistency using a representative HSER model. Key production processes are analyzed for variability, with particular attention to the overlap risk in the actuation force curves near the pickup voltage. Critical points on the counterforce curve are identified and examined. Based on the residual stress relief mechanism and the tuning process of the movable spring, a dedicated experimental plan is established to optimize the baking process—a key influencing step for counterforce consistency. Through experimental analysis, optimal stress-relief parameters for Ag-Mg-Ni alloy materials are determined. To ensure practical implementation of the proposed consistency design, an automated spring contact detection and tuning system is developed using a Python-based visual recognition platform. This system enables integrated control of both the baking and spring-tuning stages. Finally, statistical analysis of the counterforce curve bands confirms the effectiveness of the proposed method for enhancing system consistency, validating the approach based on optimized stress-relief parameters for Ag-Mg-Ni materials.