FEATURE CABLES & CONNECTORS Whether you need a connector for use in a shallow marine environment or for


depths down to 700m, a dry-mate or wet-mate solution, or a REACH-compliant connector for use in motorsport, aerospace or defence applications, then SOURIAU - SUNBANK Connection Technologies can offer a solution


Making a connection in harsh environments A


s a manufacturer of harsh environment interconnect


solutions, SOURIAU - SUNBANK Connection Technologies’ products have been designed to offer both high-reliability and high-performance in a wide range of applications. Its connection solutions are capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, vibration and corrosive liquids, which has resulted in their use in such industries as aeronautics, space, defence, transport, energy, industrial equipment, healthcare devices and even lighting. One area which reflects the demands


faced by its connectors is marine, where components may have to withstand very deep water for long periods of time, high pressures and what can only be described as a highly corrosive environment. For over 50 years, those developing solutions


for civil and military underwater applications have been specifying the company’s dry-mate products – which need to be mated out of the water. Offering robust performance in underwater applications, the M series of dry- mate connectors, for example, are manufactured in ‘marine’ bronze which offers resistance to corrosion and biofouling. These are also available in stainless steel (316L), titanium and even Super Duplex, a stainless steel with a high chromium content for even longer immersion times. Initially developed for military applications,


the connectors offer extreme resistance to straining or transverse forces on the cables as well as vibration and shock. For cable termination, sealing is ensured in several ways, including with a cable gland offering pressure resistance up to 100bar/1500psi. According to the company, this method eliminates the need for any resin glue or potting, so it has the advantage of being repairable. Although capable of withstanding depths of about 1000m, overmoulding can be used to waterproof these down to 7000m. These connectors are designed for applications such as remotely operated underwater robots, commercial diving, offshore oil wells and military submarines. Now, however, the company has launched a


range that can be mated underwater: the M+ wet-mate range. According to the company, these feature a special method of ejecting water from the connection interface, which reduces the chance of short-circuits or contact corrosion. Suitable for use in depths down to 7000m


(pressure resistance up to 700bar/4350psi on open face and coupled connectors), these are


32 MARCH 2020 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS


The company offers the M series of


dry-mate connectors and the M+ series which can be mated


underwater and used in depths to 7000m


currently available in size 10 and 14. The connectors have been developed in response to the evolving requirements of the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) and UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicle) submarine robot markets.


WATER-TIGHT SOLUTIONS Those manufacturing shallow water immersible equipment also have to confront problems of sealing, contact corrosion and connector installation. To help, the company offers its SWIM half-harnesses and harnesses for use in depths down to 300m. With these, the plug is screwed into the receptacle to lock both parts together and two O-rings at the mating interface ensure the connection stays watertight even at low pressure. It is the compression of the two seals that


ensures water-tightness, and not pressure, which differentiates the SWIM from similar products on the market, the company explains. Manufactured in thermoplastic material, SWIM connectors are lightweight and watertight, resistant to corrosion and UV, and are not subjected to cathodic delamination phenomena, which enables them to achieve a long service life in the marine environment. The screw mating and coding pins make it easy to mate the plug with the receptacle, whatever the number of pins. Suitable applications for these include


ocean surface drones used for oceanographic missions, oil exploration or more military applications such as maritime surveillance, meteo-oceanographic buoys, and remotely operated underwater observation robots.


REACH-COMPLIANT CONNECTORS Like many manufacturers, SOURIAU has been using hexavalent chromium, one of the substances listed as hazardous in the REACH regulations, in the surface treatment processes for many of its connectors. However, although the European Chemicals Agency has granted


provisional extensions of up to 12 years depending on the application, SOURIAU’s R&D department has been working on composite connectors, which impacts the product and the surface treatment production lines. The first REACH-compliant connectors in the


D38999 composite range were qualified by the European (AECMA cert) and American (DLA) certification bodies, then approved by Airbus and Boeing before gradually switching in 2019 to the main applications on civil aeronautics programs and many military aircraft programs. Since December 2019, the entire production of D38999 composite connectors has been manufactured without the use of hexavalent chromium. Thomas Pichot, R&D manager at SOURIAU


explained: “We no longer use hexavalent chromium, which was previously needed to improve the adhesion of coatings on the composite substrate of our housings. We have developed the first innovations without hexavalent chromium for motorsport applications, and for all of our aerospace and defence applications we now use a new preparation treatment on composite which allows us to ensure the adhesion of successive metal layers equally well without needing this substance. This builds on the environmental approach we used for aluminium connectors, where we have also qualified hexavalent chromium-free passivation in our zinc-nickel treatment process. “All substitute products developed and


deployed are now certified non-hazardous and fully compliant with all the various environmental regulations, including REACH. While the challenges are obviously of a technical nature, the benefits are largely ecological, since this changeover has already enabled us to halve the volume of hexavalent chromium used in our SOURIAU Champagné production site.”


SOURIAU - SUNBANK Connection Technologies www.souriau.com


REACH-compliant connectors: Hexavalent chromium is no longer being used in their manufacture


/ DESIGNSOLUTIONS


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