New Report Examines Electrical Connectivity in Defense Applications
Photo courtesy Oshkosh Defense LLC
LISLE, IL—To ensure reliability and performance in extreme environments, aerospace and defense vehicles demand rugged electrical wiring and connectors. According to a new report from Molex and its AirBorn division, military-grade products must be designed with integrated functionality capable of withstanding exposure to extreme environmental, mechanical and thermal stressors.
“Pushing the boundaries of rugged and reliable connectors is paramount when lives depend on unfailing operation to complete critical missions,” says Mike Cole, president of the aerospace and defense division of Molex. “This AirBorn report offers valuable insights on the need for interconnect innovations that elevate durability, signal integrity and long-term performance.”
Cole claims that advanced connector design, development and testing is essential for constant connectivity and uninterrupted operation in mission-critical military, avionics and space-based systems. That includes resilience to intense vibrations, high-impact shock forces and temperature extremes, along with protection against excess moisture, dust and contaminants.
“Equally important, aerospace and defense connectors must withstand hundreds or even thousands of mating cycles without failure,” explains Cole. “Corrosion from salt spray and oxidation also can cause rapid deterioration.”
The AirBorn report explains why designing connectors for aerospace and defense applications requires precise alignment of multiple features—from mating cycles to shielding and sealing—as part of a holistic connector ecosystem. A precise balance is needed to combine capabilities, while minimizing design trade-offs, whether enhancing sealing, strengthening latching mechanisms or adding more shielding.
Ensuring durability over time necessitates finding and alleviating key failure points while boosting mechanical resilience, environmental adaptability and operational longevity.
The report examines the need to optimize electromagnetic interference shielding and signal integrity under conditions with high electrical noise. The importance of gold plating to block oxidation and nickel underplating to protect against physical wear is also discussed.
To learn more about the “Defining and Advancing Rugged, Reliable Connectivity in Aerospace and Defense” report, click www.molex.com.
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