Spoilt for choice
CABLES & CONNECTORS FEATURE
As Aerco approaches its diamond jubilee, connector product manager, Alec Sluce, looks at the wide range of options open to designers when specifying connectors
DEFENCE AND AEROSPACE Most connector distributors will serve a number of different markets and, although there are factors common across industries, each sector will have specific design requirements. Military vehicles require power
distribution in a very rugged connector while needing to conserve space and weight. For instance, Smiths Connectors’ HBB range uses the high performance, very efficient, hyperboloid contact system that allows a rating of up to 750A to be achieved within a modest-sized connector. Across military platforms, increasingly
Aerco stocks the MABAC range of connectors made by TT/AB Connectors
S
pecifying a connector can be a complex business. Among the main
points to consider are usually the power requirement, speed and amount of data to be handled, and the size and weight of the connector assembly. Not only are there many aspects to consider, but new developments mean that the products available are continually changing. Formed in 1956, Aerco has established
a strong reputation in the military and aerospace markets. Indeed the name itself, Aviation Electrical and Radio Company, clearly indicates its initial prime target market. Although the company has diversified over the years, the core of its business is still centred on high reliability, ruggedised connectors. This means that considerations such as environmental sealing, plating, vibration resistance, temperature range, EMC performance, the number of mating cycles, and shock and vibration capability, are inevitably major factors. Hand-in-hand with the connector design, the choice of the correct backshell is critical in maintaining the integrity of the connection to the performance criteria mentioned above. In this area, Aerco works in partnership with Glenair to ensure that the optimum solution is reached. Although there are characteristics
Right:
A variety of connectors designed for use in the military sector are available
common to a number of markets, we consider it vital to target each sector with connectors specifically designed or modified for applications in that area. In addition, when entering new markets it is our policy to forge strong partnerships with major manufacturers, providing products that offer advantages in the target market.
complex systems require higher density connectors carrying more data and linking together more equipment. The D38999 series 3 range is ideal for this because it contains a wide variation in contact layouts and offers up to 128 ways in a single shell.
Aerco uses the TE/Deutsch range
because it combines high quality with quick availability and one of the best plating finish offerings in the market – including cadmium, electroless nickel, RoHS compliant zinc nickel and composite. This wide choice offers designers a ‘one-stop’ shop for this range of connectors. Aerco adds strength and versatility to
its D38999 range by stocking the micro version – the MABAC range made by TT/AB Connectors – that offers designers the performance of a D38999 in a connector 50% shorter and 33% smaller in diameter, while adding a bayonet and a push-pull coupling version to the standard threaded option.
KEEPING ON TRACK In the rail sector, downtime on rolling stock and trackside equipment is very expensive, so the requirement is for high reliability in conjunction with key safety features, hence the use of bayonet coupling with steel pins at critical wear points and halogen-free inserts with cadmium-free plating. Products include the ABCIRH range from TT/AB Connectors. Across all key market sectors, and
particularly in the rail industry, there is an increasing demand for more data at higher speeds. D38999 connectors are now available in versions with Quadrax, twinax and fibre optic contacts. AB Connectors has introduced the multi-pole ABMP range with
DESIGN SOLUTIONS | JUNE 2016 11
Quadrax, twinax and triax contacts, particularly for the rail industry to cater for the rapid expansion in demand for in-car information and data transfer. Also designed for rail applications is the Provertha range of D-coded M12 connectors that are ideal for Ethernet applications. This capability will shortly be expanded with the introduction of the 8-way X-coded version, allowing speeds of up to 10Gb/s with Cat 6a. Binder is another important supplier to
Aerco, with its plastic and metal circular connectors for the instrumentation, sensors, automation, medical and industrial equipment markets.
ACROSS THE BOARD Many applications combine the need for power, data and high-speed transfer – and new connector designs reflect this. Advances in contact technology and insulator materials have allowed the development of ‘combo’ connectors that offer users an array of configurations with power, data, coax and fibre contacts within a single connector shell. Aerco offers extensive choice in this area
with products from Smiths Connectors that allow users to choose their best fit from many different series, including Hypermod and the L and B series. Additionally, Smiths offers modular versions that can be adapted in response to changes made during the design cycle. Aerco has strong partnerships with over a dozen suppliers, holds over £2 million of connectors in stock, and works in partnership with its customers on programmes that reduce their stock holding and provide vendor reduction.
Aerco
www.aerco.co.uk
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