The connectivity elements such as wires, connectors, crimps, splices, switches, circuit breakers, relays, solder joints, motherboards, etc., are in reality electromechanical devices.  Therefore, their wear characteristic will be similar to mechanical devices and  are affected by the same environmental degradation factors such as in-use wear, vibration, corrosion, and thermal cycling.

At the connector’s molecular surface level, the conduction surface consists of a multitude of hills and valleys.  Over time, and in the presence of environmental stress, these hills tend to wear off and the valleys may fill with insulating debris.  Such wear is referred to as fretting action.

When an aged connection, such as described above, is in use, the instantaneous quality of the mated connector depends on the number of contacting hills making proper connectivity.  How that quality affects the circuits operation, depends on the other components in the circuit and that particular circuit’s function.

An intermittent may occur as the contacting surfaces move across each other and in the process, a number of mating points of poorer quality temporarily establish the overall quality of the joint

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