FireFly™, ExaMAX® and Bulls Eye®, oh my! So, obviously, that is one geek's riff on a popular song in The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy, Scarecrow and Tinman were anxious for what came next on their walk down the Yellow Brick Road. Similarly, Samtec engineering customers are also anxious and excited. For what? Samtec's latest evaluation and development kits. Who wouldn't be anxious and excited? Samtec has released a number of new kits. These include solutions for RF test point systems, optical … [Read more...]
How To Design An Edge Card Connector For Rugged Applications
Edge card connectors -- or are they card edge connectors? -- are a popular design option. That's because they make it easy to plug and unplug a mating card that may require more cycling than standard PCBs, and because the socket allows for relatively easy system upgrades and repairs, and there’s less cost with only one connector, and less processing time also. Interest and usage of micro pitch edge card connectors continues to grow. As with any micro-pitch interconnect, the stresses of … [Read more...]
The Effects Of Lubrication On Connector Processing
Decisions, Decisions ... I may be in the market for a new car in the near future. Unless you’ve got a strong preference (and most car buyers DO have a strong preference, IMO), choosing a vehicle is a series of trade-offs. Fuel efficiency vs. horsepower. Functionality vs. appearance. Safety vs. fun. Cost vs. a heated steering wheel and seats. Choosing the right connector set for many EOEM applications is also full of trade-offs, including pitch, termination type, plating, and contact … [Read more...]
We Have The Power!
I recently attended the Engineering Design Show in the UK, where one of the clear trends in evidence was the rise of power connectors for printed circuit boards (PCBs). The reasons are pretty clear. New technology is making ever-greater demands for more power in smaller spaces. The march towards miniaturisation continues, while at the same time users want systems with more and more functionality. Modern applications are placing demands for power delivery to the printed circuit board … [Read more...]
Connector Thermal Cycle Qualification For Military and Avionic Environments
Collins Aerospace recently published a white paper entitled “Qualification Of High Density Connector Solutions For Military and Avionic Environments.” It discusses their qualification process of high density connectors for rugged military and avionics applications. This paper focuses on the thermal testing of solder joints because “printed circuit board (PCB) assemblies are made up of many different materials that have different coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) … [Read more...]
Watch New mPOWER™ Ultra Micro Power System Video
In case you haven’t heard, there’s a new ultra micro power connector in town with an unmatched power-to-size ratio and incredible design flexibility. Sometimes it’s true, new is better. Let us count the ways: mPOWER™ ultra micro power connectors pass 21 Amps per blade in about half the size of a traditional power connector carrying the same amperage. These ultra micro power connectors (UMPT/UMPS) offer flexibility for power only or power/signal combinations with any high-speed signal … [Read more...]
IDC or Crimp? May The Best Connector Win.
IDC or Crimp? When discussing options for cable assemblies, designers frequently ask if we recommend discrete wire cable assemblies with crimped contacts or insulation displacement connectors (IDC) with ribbon cable. Our answer is it depends on your application. Crimped connectors and IDC are both reliable connector systems and each has its own list of advantages and disadvantages. Before we get to those lists, just to make sure we’re all on the same page, here are quick definitions of each … [Read more...]
Check Out This Design Upgrade to Our Connectors, Cables, RF, and Optics Pages
The top level of product categories on Samtec.com feature our Connectors, Cables, Optics, and RF pages, which give users a jumpoff point into the four main categories of products that Samtec sells. These pages were first released in 2016 with a very simple approach, to get the user to the next step in the process. With this update, these pages were given a much needed design update and several new features: All new product imagery and more neutral background colorsSide navigation to … [Read more...]
Is Copper Dead?
In 1995, I attended a seminar in which the presenter told us that copper was dead. This sort of statement is not new. The connector market is filled with armchair pundits who predict the demise of everything from D-Subminiature connectors (which are very much alive and kicking) to the V.35 telecommunications connector (which is as dead as the Dodo). This just goes to prove that it is almost impossible to predict the future trends of this industry with any certainty. Making … [Read more...]
Trade Shows and Why We Love ‘Em
Most people in the electronics industry have a complicated relationship with trade shows. On one hand, they sound fabulously glamorous – the chance to visit a faraway town, connect with customers and show off your latest products. The reality is a little bit more mundane. Yes, it might be exotic to visit Paris, Munich or San Fransisco, but the truth is that you rarely see much beyond the taxi, the hotel or the convention centre. Trade shows mean early mornings, long days … [Read more...]
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