TECHNOLOGY REVIEW When failure is


Harwin Standard Mix Tech


What is the most vulnerable component within an electronic design? Candidates would include anything with a moving part, such as a disk drive or fan; power supplies or fans which need strict control of temperature; and ICs which are sensitive to electrical noise. But probably the area that requires more attention than all of these is the interconnect system which must survive not only the effects of harsh environmental factors, but also operator contact - often on a repeated basis. Leaving aside the potential for operator


damage caused during repeated mating and demating cycles, connectors are particularly exposed if the end product is likely to be used in conditions where extremes of shock, vibration and temperature are to be experienced. This is particularly concerning if the application is high reliability, or ‘Hi-Rel’ – where the continuing ability of the system to continue to function is


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critical, such as in a medical instrument, or where it is impossible or extremely costly to repair, such as in a satellite. But even consumer devices must be reliable: who can say they have not dropped their mobile phone at one time or other? But let’s focus on Hi-Rel applications


for a moment. On launch, systems inside satellites will be subject to very high G forces which puts huge stress on the interconnect system. In space, such systems will also see widely fluctuating temperatures as the satellite alternates between the bright and dark sides of the planet it is orbiting. More and more electronic content is finding its way into commercial and military aircraft, and even passenger entertainment systems need reliable interconnect components, let alone flight guidance systems. If we consider UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) – used for defence and civilian applications - the pressure on the connector is even greater.


Not only must the device chosen withstand shock, vibration, temperature and weather conditions, it must also be very light and small, since UAVs are often carried into the theatre of operation on the back of a soldier, and flight time is governed precisely by power to weight ratio.


Other demanding applications include automotive and non-automotive transport – trains, trams and industrial vehicles – medical systems which must resist attack from various body and cleansing fluids, industrial process equipment and systems used outdoors, such as traffic signage and street lighting.


One of the strengths of Avnet Abacus is that we specialise in ensuring that designers choose the most appropriate interconnection system to support their application. To do this we have built up a wide portfolio of Hi-Rel connector products from some of the world’s leading manufacturers:


www.avnet-abacus.eu


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