The Connector PCB Miracle
PCB Connectors are vital to the functioning of modern electronic devices. Whether it’s a consumer gadget or an aerospace system, they help to keep everything connected and running smoothly. This article will discuss the different types of connector circuit boards and their role in a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). Multilayer PCBs have more than two layers of conductive material separated by dielectric layers.
High-Reliability Connectors
Harwin offers a wide range of high-reliability connector solutions designed to perform in challenging environments where failure is not an option. Their signal, power and mixed-layout interconnect families are able to meet the rigorous requirements of demanding applications in a variety of industries, including aerospace, defense, motorsport, medical and high-end industrial.
The key to selecting the best high-reliability connector for a specific application is understanding the environment and circumstances in which it will be used. It is not enough to simply consider the mating cycles of a connector, and it is equally important to understand its performance at low or high temperatures as well as its resistance to vibration, shock, and electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Connectors are subjected to a huge number of stressors when in use. This can be anything from users pulling on cables to the effects of vibration and shock. High-reliability connectors will have features to help with strain relief, such as jackscrews or latching to prevent the halves of the connector from being pulled apart, either slowly over time or under sudden load.
The Datamate J-Tek 2.00mm pitch high-reliability and high-performance connector Connector PCB Miracle range is suitable for board-to-board and cable-to-board interconnections in a variety of configurations. They are able to withstand the impact of shock, vibration and high operating temperatures and feature extended rear potting walls for additional strain relief.
Pin Header & Socket Connectors
Pin headers are one of the most recognizable and useful connectors in a printed circuit board. They’ve been around for decades and have evolved to meet the needs of designers in many ways. From alternative pitches to flexible board stacking, they continue to be relevant today in the midst of ever-changing technology.
When it comes to pin headers, you’ll find them with one or more rows of metal pins aligned into a molded plastic base. They come in a multitude of options related to the number of pins or rows, pitch, height, and mounting orientation. When mated with a corresponding socket, they can be used for board-to-board (also known as wire-to-board) or cable-to-board connections.
As the simplest form of a PCB Connector, pin headers are a key component in enabling you to connect your circuit boards together. They provide the necessary flexibility for you to make a wide range of connections and are extremely versatile. They also enable a variety of processes to be used to terminate the headers on the board, including wave soldering, selective soldering, and even hand soldering. They’re incredibly durable, too. This is thanks to the fact that their pins are shrouded, which not only ensures a studier unit but also averts incidences of pins bending. These features make them a popular choice among many electronic design engineers.
Coplanar Connectors
A variety of board-to-board connectors are available to meet the needs of different applications. These include mezzanine and coplanar connections, mother-daughter cards and a wide range of connections with flat ribbon cable. All of these solutions offer the option to have a shielded or unshielded connection.
As automation and the IoT transform industrial environments, designers need electronics with interfaces for signal, data and power transmission as well as shielding from harsh environmental conditions. Coplanar connectors feature horizontal female and male connectors that combine to connect stacked PCBs where as Mezzanine connectors connect two boards in the same plane to cost-effectively increase system IO options.
These connectors are ideal for high-speed communications. They feature a customizable card-edge interface where designers can specify first-mate, last-break designations as well as shorter stubs for high-speed communication. Additionally, the connectors are designed for easy soldering by SMT equipment.
In addition to providing a large number of connectors, Coplanar products are also available in a process-compatible packaging for use in automated assembly. They are supplied in tape-on-reel or tray format, and can be used with any SMT or hot-bar systems. Additionally, these connectors are compatible with automatic Optical Inspection (AOI) and Overhead Soldering.
Often, the tight size and coplanarity specs of fine-pitch components require stencils with very thin apertures. This increases the likelihood of solder bridging, so many designers avoid specifications with coplanarity specs that exceed their stencil thickness. However, Samtec and Phoenix Contact have both recently completed dual studies that demonstrate that the plated-finger coplanarity requirements for most connectors can be relaxed to 0.15 mm by using a stencil with optimized aperture designs.
Flex Connectors
Connectors are used in flexible circuit assemblies to provide a physical connection between rigid components and a flex-printed circuit. This is often necessary to compensate for vibration and temperature expansion/contraction in a system. They can also be used to reduce transmission of noise, and they help prevent leaking or failure in the event of a mechanical shock.
There are many different types of connectors available for flex PCBs, including traditional thru-hole and surface mount options. These include ZIF (zero insertion force) connectors, circular and D-Subminiature connectors, pogo pin/spring loaded, straddle mount, encapsulated, and pin and socket connectors. Solderless terminals are also available, and they work by physically piercing the conductor to make contact.
These connectors are commonly used in high-density consumer electronics like cell phones, calculators, printers, and flat-screen TVs. They’re becoming more common in industrial applications as Connector PCB Miracle Supplier well, where they can compensate for lateral and torsional movements in equipment.
They can also be used to connect a flex-printed circuit to a rigid board, a cable harness, or a polyester membrane switch. KINFLEX connectors are designed to meet specific application needs, such as compensation for lateral, torsional, and angular movements in piping systems. They’re also used in air conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems to compensate for the expansion and contraction of piping systems. They can also be used in the chemical and industrial industry to compensate for vibration and movement in piping, hoses, pipes, and conduits.