IN Brief:
- Aratas has added the G6TA family of reed relays for signal routing, isolation, and measurement circuits.
- Single- and double-pole normally open versions share a 15.3mm by 3.8mm footprint.
- The manufacturer specifies 500 million electrical operations at 1V DC and 10mA, with higher-load limits assessed separately.
Aratas, formerly OMRON Electronic Components Europe, has introduced the G6TA family of compact reed relays for instrumentation, signal routing, and isolation circuits. The devices support switching applications with voltages up to 200V DC and use a narrow single-inline package intended for densely populated printed circuit boards. Single-pole and double-pole normally open versions provide different arrangements for switching measurement paths.
The G6TA-1A is a single-pole, single-throw device measuring 15.3mm long, 3.8mm wide, and 7.0mm high. The double-pole G6TA-2A retains the 15.3mm by 3.8mm footprint but is 8.9mm high. Both use single-inline mounting, allowing designers to place a row of relays within the narrow board area available to a signal switching or interface assembly.
The relays use reed contacts enclosed in a hermetically sealed glass tube. When the coil produces a magnetic field, the flexible contacts close to complete the electrical path, and they separate again when the field is removed. Isolation of the contact surfaces from the surrounding atmosphere can help preserve contact characteristics in low-level signal applications where contamination and contact-film formation are undesirable.
Automated test systems frequently use reed relays to connect a measuring instrument to successive circuits while isolating unselected paths. In a multichannel fixture, the instrument can measure different nodes in sequence through a compact switch matrix. The narrow G6TA package permits dense board layouts, but channel spacing, leakage, and wiring resistance still form part of the measurement design.
Aratas identifies oscilloscopes, network analysers, wide-bandgap power semiconductor testers, and safety-monitoring circuits among the intended uses. The company also points to solar inverters, energy storage systems, electric vehicle chargers, and related power equipment where control or measurement circuits may encounter relatively high voltages. The relay contacts remain subject to the appropriate switching-load and insulation ratings of the chosen model.
Aratas specifies a 0.5A switching current rating and dielectric withstand of 1,500V DC between open contacts. Switching capability and dielectric strength describe different operating conditions: a contact’s load rating governs making and breaking a circuit, while its withstand voltage addresses insulation under a defined test. Current, voltage, load type, and expected switching frequency therefore need to be assessed together for each application.
Contact resistance is specified at 125mΩ for the G6TA-1A and 140mΩ for the G6TA-2A. Resistance contributes to the voltage drop in a closed measurement path, while repeatability becomes important where the instrument is measuring small signals. The effects on a particular circuit also depend on the calibration method, the signal level, wiring, switching arrangement, and the acceptable measurement uncertainty.
For the single-pole version, Aratas quotes operate and release times of 0.4ms and 0.2ms respectively under the stated test conditions. A complete automated measurement also includes relay drive, contact settling, signal stabilisation, and the instrument’s acquisition interval. Fixture timing must account for all of these stages when switching between test points.
Aratas gives an electrical endurance figure of 500 million operations under a specified low-level condition of 1V DC and 10mA. That rating is pertinent to low-energy switching applications, but higher switched energy and different load characteristics can affect contact wear and operating life. Contact protection, switching transients, and circuit layout consequently remain part of the design assessment.
The G6TA devices join Aratas’s established electromechanical signal relays and semiconductor-based switching products. Reed contacts can provide a physical open circuit and low leakage, while MOSFET switching devices offer different response times and drive requirements. Designers selecting between them must consider isolation, contact resistance, signal integrity, switching frequency, board density, and coil power consumption in the same application.
The G6TA-1A, G6TA-1A-MS, and G6TA-2A are listed as in-production models on the company’s product pages, with datasheet information dated 2 November 2026. The European listing also indicates availability of product-level certification and CAD information, although designers should confirm the documents and approvals applicable to the selected ordering code.
The single-pole and double-pole arrangements give designers different ways to build compact measurement matrices, depending on how many conductors must be isolated at each switching point. Circuit qualification will depend on actual leakage, contact resistance, and switching duty alongside the published voltage, current, and insulation limits. The updated data sheet and available CAD models provide the information needed to check each variant against the board layout and test sequence.
