3D Numerical Simulation of Resistance Sintering Process for Electrical Contact Applications for Breakers

In circuit breakers, short-circuit breaking involves extreme conditions linked to the presence of an intense electric arc. This requires the use of specific electrical contacts consisting of a contact tip made of composite materials, assembled on a metallic substrate.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC uses the resistance sintering technique for the sintering-assembly of silver-based composite electrical contact materials on copper substrates. It is a fast-sintering technique that combines heat generated by an electrical current and pressure to densify powder metallurgy parts. A variety of properties are required for the electrical tips (High electrical and thermal conductivity, good welding resistance, good densification state…).

To control the resulting geometry as well as the final states of the sintering process, a 3D electro-thermo-mechanical model has been developed using COMSOL Multiphysics. Thanks to accurate knowledge of material properties and contact resistances, this numerical model is a predictive tool of these different final states, which can lead to better product quality. In our paper, we will describe the 3D model, the numerical modeling strategy and present also some obtained results.