The Loch Ness Monster? There's that old, grainy picture. Big Foot? I've seen the video. UFO's? Who knows? But micro, rugged industrial connectors? Come on, that's really hard to believe ... But, industrial electronics is Samtec’s largest selling industry sector, and that's because Samtec has a full line of micro, rugged industrial connectors. Applications include factory automation, embedded computing, robotics, monitoring, vision systems, measurement, motion and process controls, and … [Read more...]
An Eye Catching High Performance Test Point System
Samtec Bulls Eye® test point systems are ideal for high-performance test applications because of their compression interfaces, small footprint, and high cycle count capabilities. Bulls Eye is now available in 50 GHz and 20 GHz designs, with a system up to 70 GHz in development. Bulls Eye is a popular product because: The grid design and smaller footprint enables smaller evaluation boards and shorter trace lengths. The high-density array design significantly saves PCB space compared to … [Read more...]
Thermal Shock Testing for Connectors
Thermal Shock testing isn't unique to the connector world, but it does play a big role in the qualification testing that Samtec puts all connectors through before they are released for production. Chances are likely that you thermally shock many items per day and don't give it a second thought unless they break. Some examples of this would be placing a glass cup previously containing ice into a sink full of hot water or rinsing your freshly used frying pan with cold water. Thermal … [Read more...]
Creepage and Clearance and Why We Care About It
Every day Samtec’s Application Support Group answers questions about a connector's mechanical, thermal, and electrical performance. One frequently discussed topic is connector creepage and clearance. Creepage and clearance is ultimately about safety and meeting regulatory standards, regardless of the system design. The ongoing trends to reduce PCB size and increase density become a design challenge when these smaller, denser PCBs incorporate high voltage circuits. Dave Scopelliti, President … [Read more...]
Testing Connectors with Mixed Flowing Gas
Mixed flowing gas might sound like something you would experience at the local pub after a night of free spicy nachos to all patrons. However, in this case, we are talking about a specialized test that was developed in response to dissatisfaction with similar corrosion tests that were commonly used on connectors. Why test for Mixed Flowing Gas? Mixed Flowing Gas (MFG) is used to evaluate a connector's performance under a simulated storage or operating conditions it may experience … [Read more...]
Using Nanosecond Event Detection to Identify Effects of Mechanical Shock and Random Vibration
https://youtu.be/Qnl1N3dChnI In the video above, it might not appear that much is taking place, but just like with transformers there is "more than meets the eye." Alright, that was corny, and I am mildly ashamed, but Nanosecond Event Detection for shock and vibration is nothing to be ashamed of testing. Maybe your system operates within highly dynamic environment, and it is important that you don’t experience any interruption in your signal. This is where Nanosecond Event Detection … [Read more...]
Mechanical Shock and Vibration and Your System
Using a connector set that hasn't been tested for mechanical shock and vibration is like getting a tattoo on your face while jumping on a trampoline; probably isn't a good choice. Ok, maybe you are thinking, "I'm an engineer, and everyone knows engineers don't get tattoos." Well if you can't relate with that, then maybe you can relate with needing a connector set that can withstand rough handling, transportation, and conditions that aren't static. What Are We Measuring? Mechanical … [Read more...]
Current Carrying Capacity
It was hot, really hot. In fact, things were getting so bad the walls around us were starting to melt, and just like that it was over; we failed current carrying capacity. That is Current Carrying Capacity (CCC) in a nutshell, well it would be if the parts were failing. Samtec performs this in-house during the qualification testing for all product series. What is Current Carrying Capacity? Current Carrying Capacity (CCC) is used to establish the maximum current carrying capacity … [Read more...]
Insulation Resistance and Dielectric Withstanding Voltage Testing
That’s shocking! Insulation Resistance and Dielectric Withstanding Voltage are two of the qualification tests that Samtec performs in-house during part qualification testing. These tests will ensure that when a connector is used in environmental conditions at the rated working voltage (de-rated from the test voltage) the product will not fail, and there will not be current leakage. Insulation Resistance Testing The purpose of the Insulation Resistance (IR) test is to determine the … [Read more...]
Increasing Broadband Interconnect Characterization
Samtec's Gustavo Blando recently presented "Increasing Broadband Interconnect Characterization" at EDI CON 2018 in Santa Clara, California. A video of the workshop is above, and below is Gus's summary of his presentation. VNA measurements are the backbone of any SI analysis, both for correlation and basic interconnect understanding. As bit rate increases and specs tighten, accurate measurement at higher frequencies is of paramount importance. For convenience, a coaxial style connector is … [Read more...]
