A French manufacturer of industrial utility meters—including electricity meters, water meters, and gas meters—was developing a new generation of smart meters with enhanced wireless communication capabilities. The design required reliable battery contacts for the CR2032 coin cell that powers the meter‘s communication module, ensuring stable power delivery for up to 10 years of field service.
The Challenge
The client‘s meter design specified a custom PCB-mounted battery holder with unique footprint constraints. Standard CR2032 battery contacts from catalog suppliers either:
Had contact forces outside the required 1.2-1.8N range
Did not fit the compact PCB layout
Lacked the corrosion resistance needed for outdoor meter installation
The client needed 1,200 battery contacts for their initial production run. European suppliers quoted 6-8 week lead times with minimum order quantities of 5,000 pieces—far exceeding the client‘s requirements.
Our Solution
Tingfeng Hardware reviewed the client‘s PCB layout and battery holder design. We proposed a custom CR2032 battery contact shrapnel manufactured from phosphor bronze C5191 with the following features:
Positive terminal with dimple design for reliable battery contact
Negative arm with optimized geometry for 1.5N ±10% contact force
Nickel plating (2-5μm) for solderability and 48-hour salt spray resistance
Tape-and-reel packaging for SMT assembly compatibility
Our engineering team completed the DFM analysis and tooling design in 5 days. We delivered 50 samples within 7 days for the client‘s fit and force testing.
Results
The samples passed all fit and force tests. The client approved the design and we completed the 1,200-piece production run in 12 days—well ahead of the client‘s production schedule. Every contact passed 100% dimensional inspection and force testing. The client has since ordered additional contacts for two other meter models.
Client Feedback
"Tingfeng‘s custom CR2032 battery contacts fit our PCB layout perfectly. The force consistency across all 1,200 pieces was excellent, and the tape-and-reel packaging worked seamlessly with our SMT line. We have standardized on their contacts for all our smart meter products."