If you get your power design right, it protects the signal integrity margin and improves power and thermal efficiency. Some connectors combine power blades in addition to digital signal pins, which adds complexity. For these types of connectors, it is important to understand how the blade assignments impact power delivery as well as how the pin and blade assignment could affect signal-to-power and power-to-signal crosstalk. To assist designers with the Samtec AcceleRate® mP UDX connectors … [Read more...]
A New Angle On Power/Signal High-Density Arrays
Angles surround us every day – physical angles like the corner over there, and angles of perspective. Samtec’s new AcceleRate® mP high-density power/signal interconnect system was born out of a different perspective on power integrity and a 90 degree rotation. Best in class density for a power/signal interconnect system, AcceleRate® mP achieves up to 240 I/Os in .438 sq. inches. It also packs a punch with up to 22 Amps per power blade and 56 Gbps signal performance. Rotated Power … [Read more...]
New Rugged/Power Guide
I recently stumbled upon the story of Stephanie Kwolek, a DuPont chemist who discovered the technology behind Kevlar® almost 60 years ago. This lightweight fiber is five times stronger than an equal weight of steel, withstands high heat and is resistant to harsh chemicals (kind of like Superman except for that whole kryptonite thing). Most notably, Kevlar is found in body armor and bulletproof vests used by police and the military. One could argue that the level of something’s ruggedness is … [Read more...]
Integral Ground Plane For Data Rate, Power, and Processing
Cutting-edge data rates have received much well-deserved press in the electronics media. New 56 and 112 Gbps PAM4 systems are in operation with verified, sustainable performance, and we’re on the doorstep of 224 Gbps PAM4. Having said that, the majority of Samtec customers don’t need these extreme data rates. For many designers and many applications, high speed, if it’s needed at all, is 10 Gbps or less. They need a reliable connector system capable of handling those slightly higher data … [Read more...]
Flexibility That Saved America… Or, Your Power Application
Wasp (a.k.a. Janet van Dyne) is a less famous member of the Avengers but still a hero in her own right. With the ability to shrink in size, fly and fire blasts of energy (“wasp stings”), Wasp’s superpowers make her an agile team member. Her flexibility helps save America and allows her to take down Absorbing Man, Banshee, and Equinox. While not quite Wasp superhero level, Samtec’s new right-angle mPOWER™ ultra micro power terminal provides even more design flexibility for power-only or … [Read more...]
Understanding Contacts
In the first two articles of this series, we have looked at the amount of time and effort that manufacturers spend to produce electrical contacts. It is easy to overlook their importance, but they lie at the heart of every connector. We have seen how the contacts are formed and plated, but it is vital that we understand how these processes affect their performance. It is rare for manufacturers to produce just one type of contact for all connectors. Choosing a single … [Read more...]
One of A Kind – One Piece Board-to-Board Interconnects
Board-to-board interconnect systems come in all shapes and sizes. Obviously, selecting the right interconnect set for your application is paramount to success. Designers need to choose products that meet their size, shape, mechanical, and electrical requirements. Two-piece interconnect sets, with a terminal that interfaces with a socket/receptacle, are the most common application. Rugged For designers who need micro pitch interconnects in a rugged, high shock and vibration … [Read more...]