How to Ensure High Reliability and Long Lifespan in Medical Connectors
Medical connectors may be small, but their reliability has a direct impact on the performance and safety of medical equipment such as monitors, infusion pumps, surgical robots, and diagnostic systems. When a connector fails — whether from intermittent contact, insulation breakdown after repeated sterilization, or mechanical pull-out — the consequences include equipment downtime, costly repairs, and potential risks to patients.
Connector reliability matters because every connection is part of a critical system that healthcare professionals depend on every day. Ensuring durability requires more than just sourcing components; it demands precision design, material expertise, and rigorous testing.
At Cambus, we address these challenges through engineering-driven solutions that enhance electrical stability, mechanical strength, and sterilization resistance — ensuring every OEM/ODM medical connector or custom medical connector we produce delivers long-term performance in demanding clinical environments.
Common Problems We See in Medical Connectors
1) Intermittent contact / “open” connections
Repeated mating, fretting corrosion, thin plating, and contamination all increase contact resistance and create intermittent signals.
Mating-cycle specs and plating choices (gold thickness vs. tin) directly affect lifetime.
Industry testing shows that plating thickness and material dramatically change expected mating cycles.
2) Sterilization and material degradation
Autoclave steam, gamma, ethylene oxide, and chemical disinfection are routine in healthcare.
Some plastics embrittle or deform; metals corrode if not selected or plated correctly.
Medical-grade PEEK, polysulfone (PSU/PPSU), and medical polycarbonate are commonly used because they resist many sterilization cycles.
3) Mechanical pull, fatigue and cable strain
Connectors that aren’t strain-relieved or that use low-strength housings are prone to wire pull-out, pin damage, or housing fracture during routine use and transport.
Secure locking features and proper overmolding reduce this failure mode.
Understanding these common failure modes helps you identify potential weak points early and select connectors that minimize downtime and maintenance costs.
Medical Connector Design Decisions that Reduce Risk
Contact materials and plating
For signal integrity and long cycles, gold plating over a stable substrate is preferred; tin or low-thickness flash performs worse under frequent mating and in contaminated environments.
Select sterilization-resistant materials early
If a connector will be reprocessed, choose plastics and elastomers qualified for your sterilization method (steam, gamma, EtO).
PEEK and PSU/PPSU are common choices where repeated autoclaving is expected.
Environmental sealing and hermetic options
Where moisture ingress or harsh reprocessing is expected, hermetic or glass-to-metal sealed solutions can prevent ingress and extend lifetime dramatically — they’re standard in mission-critical designs.
Choosing the right materials, plating, and sealing options upfront can save time, cost, and headaches over the product lifecycle.
Quick Reference Table: Common Problems & Test Solutions
| Problem | Design / Material Fix | Test / Proof to Request |
|---|---|---|
| Intermittent contact / rising contact resistance | Gold plating (adequate micro-inch thickness), robust contact geometry, contamination-resistant designs | Mating cycle vs contact-resistance graph; plating spec (µin) and test protocol. |
| Damage after repeated sterilization | Use PEEK / PSU / medical-grade PC; design to avoid trapped fluids | Sterilization cycle test on finished assembly (autoclave/EtO/gamma). |
| Moisture ingress / condensation | Hermetic or glass-to-metal sealing; IP-rated seals where appropriate | Helium leak test or IP rating + environmental soak/thermal cycling. |
| Cable pull / strain failures | Overmolding, proper strain relief, locking features | Cable pull tests and fatigue tests (cycles). |
| Surface contamination | Design for ease of cleaning; smooth mating planes | Cleaning protocol validation; particle/bioburden testing as needed. |
How Cambus Helps?
Cambus has over 30 years of experience in medical device contract manufacturing, specializing in high-quality OEM/ODM medical connector and cable assembly solutions, including precision plastic injection and in-house tooling.
Our in-house mold design and manufacturing capabilities, combined with advanced CAD/CAM/CAE and Mold Flow analysis, ensure industry-leading precision, structural stability, and production efficiency for every product.
To meet the high standards of quality and safety in the medical industry, we are certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016, and follow international standards such as IPC/WHMA-A-620 and IPC-A-6012, ensuring every process meets Class 3 quality requirements.
Click here for more about our certification
Additionally, we comply with RoHS and REACH environmental regulations, delivering products free of hazardous substances to protect both users and the environment.
For those seeking a reliable medical device contract manufacturing partner, Cambus offers proven expertise and robust manufacturing capabilities to deliver products that perform in real clinical environments.
If you’re evaluating suppliers for OEM/ODM custom medical connector — whether it’s a high-cycle probe, autoclaveable feedthrough, or a robust cable assembly — 📩 Contact Cambus Corporation