Four design ideas for connectors in harsh environments

The trend in connector technology is to require applications that can withstand harsh environments involving exposure to dust, splashing water or cleaning solutions over their useful life. They usually have a housing that protects internal components from risk. However, designing an application and selecting components that meet these criteria is often not easy. When choosing a connector, the designer must consider many factors such as temperature, humidity, solvents, icing, corrosion, fungi, salt exposure, and the like. Incorrect selection can affect the integrity, performance, and longevity of your application.

Connector communication protocol

One of the main considerations is determining the type of communication or using the application. Each connector can be used to carry different types of signals, such as RS232 or I2C serial interfaces, RF transmission, audio and video signals, power or high-speed data communication. In addition to this, the level of data rate and characteristics should also be considered. In some cases, a single connector can use more than one communication protocol. In terms of power requirements, designers must check voltage and current requirements. In addition, the selected connector should meet certain criteria to ensure it fits the desired application. Amphenol ICC offers a range of harsh environment connectors for a variety of applications.

Connector space requirements

This is the era of miniaturization, with all modern applications turning to chips and technology to provide advanced features in a small size. Design engineers should be cautious because they should choose the connector that fits the space they need. There are options such as nesting and linkage scheduling, or they can even combine functionality with a reduced number of interfaces. You can also look for designs that seal the connector into the panel or placed in front of or behind the enclosure.

Connector termination style

Once the communication protocol and connector form factor are fixed, we can consider the termination style. The harsh environmental connectors provide a metal seal and provide an electrical connection. This electrical connection is made by soldering the connector directly to the board or through a cable termination. If we choose to solder directly, we can choose a vertical or right angle PCB solder termination. In the case of cable termination, there are several options, such as solder cup termination, which is a popular choice. Crimp termination is another option and is usually labor intensive. Xinpengbo offers demanding connectors mounted on the interposer card, offering a wide range of termination types and great flexibility.

Connector EMI protection

In addition to water and dust, connectors in harsh environments should be able to protect components from electromagnetic interference (EMI) radiation. EMI radiation can enter the box and interfere with the function of the device or exit the box and interfere with other devices. To ensure the best EMI performance for connectors in harsh environments, choose a connector with an electroplated metal casing and conductive washers.

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