High-density connectors save board space in factory automation applications

ERNI Electronics has unveiled a new family of connectors that delivers the signal density, electrical performance, and mechanical dependability required in industrial automation systems. These connectors come in smaller package sizes to effectively work in demanding industrial environments with confined spaces.

The industrial automation networks — utilizing programmable logic controllers (PLCs), programmable automation controllers (PACs), distributed control systems (DCS’s), and motion control and drive systems — need to handle more data traffic at increased speeds and in challenging conditions.

ERNI's miniature MicroSpeed is a modular connector system that features a 1-mm pitch and supports high-speed data applications at up to 25 Gbps. These high-density connectors boast superior signal integrity and low-inductance shielding, which enables noise-sensitive designs to be realized without adding costly shields within the enclosure.

The MicroSpeed connectors also feature a flexible open-pinfield design, which, in turn, facilitates different signal-pair layouts for differential data-transmission rates. Moreover, the contact wipe length of 1.5 mm enables board-to-board stack heights between 5 and 20 mm.

The next one is the SMC Series, which boasts secure data transmission rates of up to 3 Gbps and current-carrying capacity of 1.7 A per contact. The high-performance connector series offers a number of different pin counts, heights, and configurations in a 1.27-mm grid to meet a variety of application requirements.

Finally, the MicroCon family of connectors offers a reliable two-sided female contact or dual beam in a dense 0.8-mm pitch offering. The reliable and rugged interface makes it a highly suitable connectivity device in factory automation, especially due to vertical solutions for board-to-board stacking and new extensions for perpendicular applications in midplane and backplane designs.