Rugged High Speed Connectors

Author: Danny Boesing @Samtec

Have you ever stepped into a subcompact car and been surprised by how spacious it feels? Or used a high-powered kitchen blender that somehow stays whisper-quiet? These products defy expectations by delivering intentionally engineered experiences that balance form and function in surprising ways. Now, consider a high-speed connector: wouldn’t it be great if it also checked off all the expected performance boxes while going above and beyond in terms of functionality?  Or, more specifically, rugged functionality?

The physical and material design of high-speed connectors requires advanced materials (low dielectric constants and low dissipation factors), compact form factors, high-performance cables, grounding structures, contact size and geometry, compact design, and airflow and thermal management, among many considerations.

In other words, designing a high-speed connector that is both rugged and high-speed is rife with design contradictions. Does that mean it can’t be done?

Samtec has a complete line of “high-speed” board-to-board and cable-to-board interconnect solutions. “High speed” is in the eye of the beholder; at Samtec, it means up to 224 Gbps PAM4 and from DC bis 110 GHz.

Many Samtec high-speed interconnects also incorporate design elements to make them rugged. I read somewhere that Samtec offers a robust line of high-speed interconnect systems that are optimized for performance, durability, and reliability in the most demanding environments.

The following is a quick overview of Samtec Rugged High-Speed connector solutions. For a complete listing, check out the Rugged High-Speed Interconnect Solutions Guide.
 

Rugged High-Speed:  Board-to-Board and Backplane Solutions

• Edge Rate^® strips are optimized for high performance and cycles.
• SEARAY™ high-density arrays offer the most power versatility.
• ExaMAX^® and NovaRay^® backplane systems offer two reliable points of contact.
• Q Series^® with integral ground/power plane for reliable SI/power.
• Generate^® edge cards with signal/power and tucked beam options.
• AcceleRate^® mP is best-in-class density for power and signal.
• Razor Beam™ self-mating interfaces save space and reduce costs.
   

Rugged High-Speed: Precision RF Solutions

• ExaMAX I/O features a full-shielded external cable and cage.
• AcceleRate features a slim body with integrated guide posts.
• NovaRay I/O bulkhead or threaded 38999 panel connection.
• URSA^® I/O with Hyper Claw™ contacts.
• EMI shielding limits signal degradation and optimizes performance.
• Ruggedizing features include captive panel screws, strain relief, pull latches, slim latching, and guide posts for blind mating.
   

Mid-Board Optical Transceivers

• FireFly™ EXT with an extended temperature range of -40 to +85°C.
• FireFly EET features a parylene conformal coating for extreme environments; tin whisker mitigation, and salt fog resistance.
• Halo^® optical transceivers are designed for next-generation embedded applications and withstand high shock and vibration in a low 6.35 mm profile for space savings.
• SWaP optimized designs for longer connections.
• Multiple end options, including MTP®, MXC®, MT, and a variety of rugged interfaces.
   

Rugged High-Speed: Precision RF Solutions

• Magnum RF^® ganged, multi-port blocks and cable assemblies feature a push-on SMPM interface with varying retention forces.
• Nitrowave™ high-performance microwave cable assemblies are phase and amplitude-stable with flexure. A dynamic performance layer (DPL) minimizes loss and improves stability.
• Rugged U.FL/MHF^® 1 cable assemblies with metalized strain relief for increased durability; 500 mating cycles.
• VITA™ 90 VNX+™ solutions with rugged blind mate RF modules, SEARAY™ right-angle array and rugged optics. This enables SWaP-C reductions.
• Custom and quick turn modifications available.
   

Rugged High-Speed:  Rugged Design Options

• Manually activated latches increase unmating force by 200%.
• Metal or plastic friction locks increase retention/withdrawal force.
• Strain relief helps protect against damage caused by frequent movement, strain or stress.
• Weld tabs significantly increase the shear resistance of the connector to the PCB.
• 360° shielding reduces EMI.
• Screw downs and panel screws secure a mechanical attachment to the board or panel.
   

Rugged High-Speed:  Precision Hardware

• Guide post standoffs allow for 0.035” of initial misalignment and blind mate.
• Jack screw precision standoffs reduce component damage.
• Standoffs with precision machined tolerances (+/- 0.050mm)
• Guide posts with built-in grounding pins are available for first mate, last break applications.
   

Testing

Samtec Severe Environment Testing (SET) products have been tested beyond typical industry standards for performance confidence in military, space, automotive, industrial, and other extreme environment applications.

Samtec Extended Life Products™ (ELP™) are tested to rigorous standards, which evaluate contact resistance in simulated storage and field conditions.
 

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