Visual Inspection; Look For Obvious Defects And Damage First; Inspect The Mating Plane Surfaces - Agilent Technologies 85051B User's And Service Manual

Visual Inspection

Visual inspection and, if necessary, cleaning should be done every time a connection is made. Metal
particles from the connector threads may fall into the connector when it is disconnected.
CAUTION Devices with damaged connectors should be immediately discarded or clearly marked and
set aside for repair. A damaged device will in turn damage any good connector to which it is
attached. Determine the cause of the damage before connecting a new, undamaged
connector in the same configuration.
In some cases, magnification is necessary to see damage to a connector; a magnifying device with a
magnification of 10is recommended. However, not all defects that are visible only under magnification
will affect the electrical performance of the connector. Use the following guidelines when evaluating the
integrity of a connector.

Look for Obvious Defects and Damage First

Examine the connectors first for obvious defects or damage: badly worn plating on the connector interface,
deformed threads or bent, broken, or misaligned center conductors. Connector nuts should move smoothly
and be free of burrs, loose metal particles, and rough spots.
What Causes Connector Wear?
Connector wear is caused by connecting and disconnecting the devices. The more use a connector gets, the
faster it wears and degrades. The wear is greatly accelerated when connectors are not kept clean, or are not
connected properly.
Connector wear eventually degrades performance of the device. Calibration devices should have a long life if
their use is on the order of a few times per week. Replace devices with worn connectors.
The test port connectors on the PNA test set may have many connections each day, and are therefore more
subject to wear. It is recommended that an adapter be used as a test port saver to minimize the wear on the
test set's test port connectors.

Inspect the Mating Plane Surfaces

Flat contact between the connectors at all points on their mating plane surfaces is required for a good
connection. Look especially for deep scratches or dents, and for dirt and metal particles on the connector
mating plane surfaces. Also look for signs of damage due to excessive or uneven wear or misalignment.
Light burnishing of the mating plane surfaces is normal, and is evident as light scratches or shallow circular
marks distributed more or less uniformly over the mating plane surface. Other small defects and cosmetic
imperfections are also normal. None of these affect electrical or mechanical performance. If a connector
shows deep scratches or dents, particles clinging to the mating plane surfaces, or uneven wear, clean and
inspect it again.
85051B
Use, Maintenance, and Care of the Devices
Visual Inspection
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