The basis of every reed relay is the reed switch itself - this is the core component of the reed relay. The reed switch contains two reed contacts which are built from nickel-iron and then coated with materials to guarantee the utmost functioning life span. The reed switch contacts overlay so when they close, they make interaction with each other. Usually, the space in the open state is between 0.06 and 1 mm.

The more the space is, the more the voltage resistance becomes. The small spaces between the contacts allow fast switching speeds which hinge mainly on the real size of the contacts. 

Generally, the speed is around from half a millisecond to a few milliseconds. Commonly the nickel-iron content of the reed contacts is approximately 52%.

The materials utilized such as rhodium, tungsten, ruthenium, sometimes iridium, or molybdenum in the condition of high voltage. Rhodium is generally electroplated onto the reed component, while ruthenium is usually sputtered. There were also very rare reed switches that utilized gold, commonly for audio.

The reed relay market is experiencing growth and is projected to reach USD 1,162 million by 2030.

How does a reed relay work?

The function of the reed relay is quite upfront. It works by engaging a magnetic field near the reed switch contacts. These origins each of the reeds to become magnetically active such that the two ends of the reed attract each other and come together closing the contact.

Under circumstances where no magnetic field is functional, the two interactions will not magnetically happen and the spring loading in the associates will keep them separately.

As the magnets are carried nearer to the reed contacts which are completed of a magnetic material, characteristically nickel-iron, these jolts magnetically orientated the two reed relay contacts. A north pole will happen in one contact and a south in the other.

As the magnetic field near the contacts surges, so too does the forte of the magnetization of the contacts. Eventually, a point is touched where the magnetic pull starts to overcome the spring in the associates. As the contacts move closer, so the strong point of the attraction surges increasingly surges, and so a firm contact is eventually made.

The Benefits of Reed Relay Include the Following.

• These are easy, inexpensive, and have a dependable process that permits substantial design flexibility.
• These relays have dependable, easy sensing and propulsion capacities.
• Fewer price points for every unit.
• Strength and performance over the long service life.
• Less-profile proposals for simple integration in space-forced environments.
• Reduced component weight will evade mass loading of receptive electronics.
• They have high performance.
• Its customization is simple.
• They have a fast-switching rapidity.
• These are effortlessly close-fitted into DIL or SIL packages.
• They offer wide-ranging isolation among the switching current and also the switched circuit.

The Applications of Reed Relay Include the Following.

• These relays are Utilized in RF and microwave switching applications.
• These are also used in applications that utilize very less leakage current such as photomultiplier sensors and other very less current handling circuits.
• The application of this relay uses an electromagnet for governing single or more reed switches utilized for low current and voltage switching needs.

Source: P&S Intelligence