Key design considerations for electrical connector solutions used in the harsh environments often found in the military sector
ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS CONNECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
PEI GENESIS
Key design considerations for electrical connector solutions used in the harsh environments often found in the military sector
In the world of electrical connectors , there is an abundance of options to choose from , which can make identifying the right choice a difficult task . This is made more difficult in mission-critical industries with specific operational challenges , such as the military sector . Here Sean Fitall , senior product manager at military electrical connector specialist PEI-Genesis , discusses the key considerations for a new generation of electrical connectors that deliver reliable performance in military applications .
Electrical connectors used in military applications , such as manned ground vehicles and unmanned autonomous guided vehicles , must often tolerate extreme and harsh conditions . Typically , these include extreme temperatures both hot and cold , rapid temperature and humidity changes , persistent impact and vibration and signal interference .
Furthermore , it is common for military connectors to be in services for two to three decades , amplifying any potential damage or loss of performance over time . This means that connectors intended for use in military applications must be designed with performance and reliability in mind to ensure operational success .
Therefore , to rise to the challenge , military connectors must come equipped with key features such as high durability , easy mating and unmating , a high number of mating cycles to ensure long lifespans , superior shielding performance and high levels of ingress protection .
D38999 connectors
Traditionally , D38999 connectors have been the first choice for use in military applications . First developed in the 1970s and now on its fourth generation design , this is a military-specific connector designed to ensure reliable performance .
D38999 connectors are made up of a hard outer shell , a polychloroprene rubber insert with cavities to house the contacts and a backshell is required on the outer housing of every plug to provide additional shielding and durability . D38999 connectors can be supplied in aluminium , stainless steel , marine bronze or composite materials and then plated in either olive drab cadmium , green zinc cobalt , nickel or black zinc nickel , depending on customer requirements .
Composite options are more popular because they are lightweight and offer high performance levels in harsh environments . They are also all REACH and RoHS compliant ( apart from the Olive Drab plating ) and all QPL qualified for use in military applications .
Now , electrical connector manufacturers have built on the features that have made the D38999 so reliable in military applications for decades with the introduction of next-generation Rhino 38999 connectors .
50 PECM Issue 66