Pickering Electronics still bringing new ideas to reed relay market as it enters 55^th year

Pickering Electronics, the reed relay company which has pioneered miniaturization and high performance has announced significant growth as it enters its 55^th year. A sales revenue increase of over 85% in the last two years, Pickering Electronics puts its success down to continuous product innovation.

A reed relay, of course, is only as good as the reed switch itself, and Pickering uses the very best instrumentation-grade switches with appropriate switch blade coatings for the currents and voltages demanded by the application. An innovation still not employed by some competition – was the introduction of SoftCenter™ technology which protects the reed switch and minimizes internal stresses, resulting in an extended life and contact resistance stability.

The use of magnetic shielding, followed last year by the introduction of electrostatic screening in high voltage relays, prevents faulty operation. And of course, miniaturization, such as the recent 4mm² range, which stack on a tiny 4mm x 4mm pitch whilst still switching up to 1 Amp, 20 Watts.

Another reason for the company’s success is Pickering’s diversification of its product range. New directions for the company include a strong focus on high voltage reed relays which are suitable for mixed-signal semiconductor testers, high-end cable testers, medical electronics, electric vehicles, solar energy, big physics, and high voltage instrumentation.

Recent releases include Series 67 HV relays with a Form C option, a new 100HV product high voltage relay with high coil resistances, and the increase in rating of the popular Series 104 product family, now up to 4 kV and with optional electrostatic shielding. Series 67 and 68 high voltage relays are now also rated up to 200 W.

There are certain elements that are common to all successful businesses which Pickering naturally shares. Pickering has become a byword for product quality and reliability, and the company counts very many leading names within the Aerospace, EV, Defence, Semiconductor Production and Test & Measurement industries, amongst its worldwide customer base.

Commented Kevin Mallett, Technical Specialist at Pickering Electronics: “Pickering has consistently led the reed relay industry, basing our business on three key pillars, innovation, diversification and technical support. We believe this approach is responsible for our success, not only in recent times but also across our history which now spans more than half a century.”

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Our Reed Relays are featured on the industrial product comparison website “Metoree”. https://us.metoree.com/companies/13888/

Visit Booth A3.161 at Electronica for the latest high voltage, RF and electrostatically shielded reed relays

Pickering Electronics, the reed relay company which has pioneered miniaturization and high performance reed relays for over 50 years, will exhibit at Electronica, Europe’s largest electronics exhibition, on booth 161 in hall A3, Messe München, Munich, Germany 15-18 November.

The company will launch a new variant of its high voltage Series 104 SIL/SIP reed relay family with optional electrostatic shielding between the switch and the coil; helping to minimize noise between the coil drive and high voltage circuits. Further parts with electrostatic shielding are planned for launch early in 2023.

Also on display at Electronica will be other recently announced products including Series 113RF miniature, coax reed relays for RF signal switching up to 3GHz, and high-voltage, long-life Series 67 SIL dry reed relays now rated up to 200W and up to 10 kV stand-off, 7.5 kV switching, suitable for big physics, EV battery testing and medical applications.  

Commented Keith Moore, CEO at Pickering Electronics: “When used correctly, a reed relay is a superbly reliable device. The switch contacts are hermetically sealed so do not suffer from oxidation or contamination that affects electromechanical devices with their open contacts. Pickering is always pushing at the edges of technology to get more performance in a smaller package. Visit us on stand A3.161 at Electronica to discuss your needs.”

Pickering offers over 1000 standard reed relays and is continuously innovating. The company pioneered magnetic screening to avoid relays stacked in close proximity from affecting close neighbours. The company also invented SoftCenter™ Technology which is used to alleviate any stress on the reed switch, increasing reliability. And the company has developed some of the smallest devices in the world with its ultra-high density 4mm²™ 1 amp switching products that stack on a 4mm x 4mm pitch, allowing the highest packing density currently available in the industry.

Over 100 different reed relays now in stock for immediate delivery

Pickering Electronics, the reed relay company which has pioneered miniaturization and high performance for over 50 years, has signed a global distribution deal with Premier Farnell, an Avnet Company, which is one of the world’s largest distributors of electronic components. Under the terms of the agreement Farnell, Newark and Element14 will be stocking over 100 different series of reed relays from Pickering, ready for immediate delivery to worldwide customers.

Designed for high-end Instrumentation, Test & Measurement and Semiconductor Test applications that cannot compromise on quality, Pickering’s reed relays are manufactured to an extremely high standard to ensure long life and optimum performance. Only instrumentation-grade reed switches are used, ensuring a stable, long life or up to 5×10⁹ operations. All Pickering’s reed relays are 100% tested for all operating parameters – other manufacturers batch test resulting in non-operational devices being supplied. Testing includes repeated 100% thermal cycling from -20°C to +85°C to -20°Cto reduce field failures to a minimum.

Pickering has led reed relay market for more than 50 years, with innovations such as SoftCenter™ technology, which cushions the reed switch, minimizing internal stresses and extending the working life and contact stability, and also internal mu metal screening, preventing interference between closely stacked relays. Today, Pickering offers the world’s smallest high voltage reed relays– for example, the series 131 with a minimum of 1.5kV stand-off – and the world’s smallest footprint reed relays – Series 120 devices are rated for 1A, 20W switching yet have a footprint of just 4mm x 4mm.

Commented Keith Moore, CEO at Pickering Electronics: “The new distribution agreement with Farnell enables Pickering Electronics to broaden its reach in Europe, North America and Asia in the Test and Measurement and Semiconductor Test markets.” “Design engineers expect to have components on their desk within hours and this is something Farnell can facilitate.”

Added Simon Meadmore, Vice President of Product and Supplier Management, at Farnell says: “Pickering Electronics is a valuable addition to our electromechanical relay product portfolio. Farnell customers now have the flexibility to design and develop new products and test equipment featuring Pickering Electronics’ innovative products faster than ever before. As the number of electric vehicles on the roads rapidly increases, high voltage isolation reed relays are an essential solution for testing and continuing development of battery and drive-train technology.”

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Pickering Electronics will demonstrate their latest product developments and range of high voltage relays at Productronica 2021 in Munich, Germany from 16th to 19th November 2021.

In Hall A1 on stand 452 Pickering will showcase the company’s impressive range of high voltage reed relays, including the newly released Series 100HV. Pickering’s reed relays for high voltage applications can stand-off from 1kVto 15kV and enable switching from 500V to 12.5kV at up to 50W. These relays are available with PCB pins, chassis or PCB mounting & flying leads for HV connections. The relays are ideal for mixed signal semiconductor testers, high-end cable testers, backplane testers, medical electronics, electric vehicles, solar energy, big physics, in-circuit test equipment and high voltage instrumentation.

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We are excited to announce that Pickering Electronics has been shortlisted in the ‘manufacturer of the year’ category at The Electronics Industry Awards 2021.

Pickering has been the market leader in the production of high-performance Reed Relays for over 50 years and is proud to be recognised within the industry.

We’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all our customers and suppliers for your valued support, as we wouldn’t be in the position we are today without you all.

…And if you do have a minute to spare, we would greatly appreciate your vote by clicking the link below:

electronicsindustryawards.co.uk/finalists