Belden Inc. has introduced four new products and updates to its connector, cable management and network management suite that are designed to improve network connectivity and uptime in rugged environments. These include expansions to the OptiTuff line and PROVIZE network planning, commissioning and management suite as well as a new connector and I/O module from Lumberg Automation.

Data acquisition and transmission interconnects

The OptiTuff connectivity and cable management options add support for new field-termination connectivity for the mini fiber cables. The line provides easy installation and compatibility with the FX Fusion splice-on connector and FX ECX patch panel system.

The new Lumberg Automation M12 circular connector automotive line can withstand harsh environments, thanks to its new polyurethane (PUR) construction, which prevents damage caused by welding sparks, crushing and shearing. It is reported to tolerate higher heat and pressure than standard PVC or silicone connectors.

Earlier this year, Belden also added a 4-channel SMPTE cable in riser and plenum versions. This multi-channel hybrid cable allows four cameras to be connected in a single installed cable. Also added to the portfolio are VFD cable glands that allow explosion-proof or general-purpose ingress of VFD cables into enclosures and devices. They can be used for all types of unarmored tray cables, flexible cables and cords even in harsh industrial environments.

Data orchestration and management solutions

The PROVIZE network planning, commissioning and management suite was updated to simplify MRP configuration for redundant ring topologies to prevent network disruptions. It also includes improvements to the user interface and enhanced integration that enables users to move between the PROVIZE Planner and Explorer easier.

Both Explorer and Planner were recently added to the PROVIZE portfolio. The Explorer enables device commissioning by assigning management IP addresses and credentials. The Planner allows users to collect requirements, build and validate intent-based networks and automatically create and export bills of materials listing recommended equipment.

The new Lumberg Automation LioN-X digital I/O modules offer integration in PLC and cloud environments, making them a good fit for almost all industrial applications, said Belden. They provide fast configuration, data transfer and data security for automation applications using digital sensors and actuators.

Cinch Connectivity Solutions, a Bel group company, recently launched the Johnson mmWave angled 30-degree RF connector family across four product lines: SMA, 2.92 mm, 2.4 mm and 1.85 mm. The Johnson RF coax connectors, with high-frequency performance up to 67 GHz, deliver high signal integrity for a variety of applications and markets.

Thanks to their “excellent” return loss and insertion loss, these mmWave connectors can be used in demanding environments, such as for satellite communication equipment, GPS and phased array antennas, radar systems, automated test equipment and remote monitoring communication.

The 30-degree solderless connector jack family is suited for small enclosures and tight space constraints. “Angled connectors solve the challenges of stress to the minimum bend radius of the mating cable assembly,” said Cinch.

The frequency range for the 30-degree angled connectors are: 67 GHz for the 1.85 mm, 50 GHz for the 2.4 mm, 40 GHz for the 2.92mm and 26.5 GHz for the SMA.

These PCB-mounted RF connectors feature a gold-plated beryllium copper body and gold-plated contacts. They are rated to 500 mating cycles. The VSWR performance ratings are 1.35 max from DC to 67 GHz and 1.30 max from 26.5 GHz to 40 GHz.

The 30-degree angled RF connectors are available now. They can be purchased through Cinch’s distribution network: Digi-Key, Farnell, Mouser and Newark.

Molex has expanded its Open Compute Project (OCP) solutions with the launch of the KickStart Connector System for cabled boot drives. The all-in-one system is touted as the first OCP-compliant connector system that combines low-speed and high-speed signals and power circuits into a single cable assembly for data-center servers. The new system, developed in collaboration with OCP members, eliminates the need for multiple components, optimizes space and eases upgrades by offering a standardized approach for boot-drive peripheral connections, according to the company.

Targeting OCP-based servers, data centers, white box servers and storage systems, the integrated signal and power connector system is a standardized small form factor (SFF) TA-1036 cable assembly that complies with OCP’s Data Center Modular Hardware System (DC-MHS) specification. It is recommended in OCP’s M-PIC specification for cable-optimized, boot-peripheral connectors.

Molex said Kickstart is the only OCP-recommended internal I/O connectivity solution for boot-drive applications, which addresses storage-signal speeds. The system meets PCIe Gen 5 signal speeds, with data transfer rates up to 32 Gbps NRZ, with planned support for PCIe Gen 6.

Kickstart aligns with the form factor and mechanical structure of Molex’s OCP-recommended NearStack PCIe Connector System. Both systems offer a mated profile height of 11.10 mm, which is reported to deliver improved space optimization, increased airflow management and reduced interference with other components. The mated height of 11.10 mm meets the OCP’s maximum spec of 11.30 mm.

Samples are available for evaluation. Molex is showcasing its latest OCP-recommended and OCP-compliant connectivity solutions, including the KickStart Connector System at the OCP Global Summit, October 17-19, in Booth B1. The company will also host informative sessions and demos.

Hirose Electric Co., Ltd. has expanded its miniature hybrid flexible printed circuit (FPC) to board connector family with a new design that simplifies mating with greater design flexibility. The miniature BK22 series FPC-to-board connector offers space savings and a high-power capacity, while enabling power savings.

These features enable “OEMs to reduce the size of portable devices without sacrificing power performance,” said Hirose. The connector series also enables power savings and allows up to 100 W of power delivered via USB for fast charging thanks to minimized contact resistance.

The hybrid BK22 series offers 15-A power and 0.3-A signal contacts, available in four or six signal positions with two power contacts. It has a mated height of 0.7 mm and a depth of 2.3 mm, which makes it well suited for portable devices like audio players, cameras, laptops and gaming consoles, as well as wearable devices such as ear buds, smartwatches and smart glasses.

The BK22 Series features a multi-point dimpled contact design for both the power (6-point) and signal (2-point) contacts for higher reliability and long operation life. The connector design also includes a multi-point metal lock that prevents unintended unmating due to impact and an insert molded header and receptacle, which eliminate gaps between the terminals and housing to prevent solder wicking.

The connector, with two mounting points per contact, shortens the length of electricity flow to minimize heat generation when a high current is used, Hirose said, and the unique board mounting design suppresses heat generation to 30°C or less, even when 15 A is applied.

The FPC-to-board connector series offers a fully armored design to offer enhanced robustness and a reduction in the risk of housing damage from misalignment when mating. Other features include guidance ribs, a wide self-alignment range of ±0.47 mm in the pitch direction and ±0.405 mm in the width direction to simplify mating operation, a rated voltage of 60 VAC/DC and an operating temperature of -55°C to 85°C.

Samtec, Inc. has enhanced its open-pin-field array connectors to run analog, digital and power signals, releasing new reference designs that enable its high-performance connector arrays including the SEARAY to support analog signals.

For use in high-density RF applications, the Analog over Array reference designs enables dense, open pin-field connectors to support digital and analog differential or single-ended signaling, and power. Analog Over Array connectors can replace dozens of precision RF connectors while offering a smaller footprint, less weight and cost optimization, Samtec said. Their differential ground pattern supports RF SoCs as well as applications such as 5G wireless, remote PHY/MSOs, phased array radar, test and measurement and LEO/MEO satellites.

Performance specifications include 8-GHz bandwidth and 50-ohm system impedance for single-ended and 100-ohm for differential. Return loss is -12 dB up to 4 GHZ and -10 dB up to 8 GHz, and crosstalk isolation between channels is -69 dBc to 4 GHz and -63 dBc to 8 GHz. As an example, the return loss of a SEARAY connector running six differential pairs of RF is better than -10 dB from 0-15 GHz.

As part of a full characterization report, reference designs feature recommended pin mapping. Samtec is in the process of developing additional reference designs for applications up to 40 GHz.

Omnivision has announced the availability of the OVMed OCHTA ultra-thin medical-grade cable module for single-use endoscopes. The 1.5- and 2.5-meter off-the-shelf cable modules and evaluation kits are available now.

The OCHTA cable module connects small 400 × 400-resolution imagers to endoscopes with ultra-thin 0.45-mm cables that are available in 1.5- and 2.5-meter lengths. This is an upgrade from the previous 200 × 200 resolution for improved visibility. The cable module also can be customized up to four meters along with a mini-LED illumination option.

The turnkey solution includes the lens and image signal processor, which reduces cost and accelerates time to market for medical-device OEMs, said the company.

The OCHTA cable modules also feature a six-wire cable that allows manufacturers to add their own LED illumination, said Omnivision. In addition to the customized cable lengths, the company offers customized connectors and LEDs to deliver a fully tested and production-ready solution. Customized options will be available in the third quarter of 2023.

The cables meet EMC/EMI shielding from the patient as per IEC 60601 requirements and are manufactured in ISO 13485-certified facilities.  These cables are designed for endoscopes used in minimally invasive surgery, including neuro, ophthalmic, cardiac, spinal, ob-gyn and utero-renal procedures.

Hirose Electric Americas has introduced a multi-RF board-to-board connector that provides a size reduction of up to 71% compared to conventional designs. Claiming the industry’s smallest width of 2.2 mm, the BM56 Series supports multiple RF and digital signals with one connector. Applications for the flexible printed cable (FPC)-to-board BM56 connectors include smartphones, laptops, tablets, gaming consoles and wearable devices.

By combining digital and RF signals into a single connector, the BM56 Series enables the development of smaller, lighter end-products, said Hirose. For additional spacing savings and design flexibility, the ultra-low profile BM56 Series, with a 0.6-mm stacking height, can be placed on top of a device’s battery.

“Conventional connector solutions require one board-to-board connector and two RF connectors to achieve the capability of one BM56 Series connector,” said Pete Lais, AVP of product management at Hirose Electric Americas, in a statement. “These traditional designs do not leave much room for other components. The BM56 connector offers significant PCB space savings allowing OEMs to add a larger battery, add components to increase functionality, or simply miniaturize end-products.”

The BM56 series supports a wide range of high-frequency applications, including 5G, thanks to the contacts designed for both high-speed digital transmission and RF signals.

The BM56 series supports the following RF signal transmissions (VSWR):

         DC to 5 GHz: 1.3 Max
         5 to 10 GHz: 1.4 Max
         10 to 20 GHz: 1.5 Max

Key features include a double-shielded design for improved EMI protection and a fully armored design on both ends of the housing with metal for robustness and a reduction in the risk of housing damage from mating misalignment. The connector also provides a wide self-alignment range of ±0.3 mm in the pitch direction and ±0.3 mm in the width direction, with guidance ribs for smooth mating operation.

Binder USA has introduced two new angled variants of its snap-in 720 series and bayonet NCC 770 series miniature connectors that are designed for tight installation applications. The new designs add a threaded ring between the contact body and the angled housing.

This new design feature enables connectors to withstand loads that exceed standard requirements, even when the force is applied at an angle to the connector axis, said binder.

The company also enhanced the connectors so the contact body can be rotated in steps of 90°, which allows the user to choose the direction of the cable outlet. Key applications for the angled versions of the 720 series include lighting installations, greenhouse heating systems and e-bikes. The angled variants of the 770 series target medical devices, mobile and laboratory instrumentation and metrology and handheld control panels.

“Cable routing is often problematic for housings angled at 90° because bending the cable precisely can be difficult,” binder said. To address this issue the company used an angle of 100° for the new housings, which simplifies the cable assembly.

Key features of the 720 series include 3- to 12-pins, 60-250 V voltage range, 2-7-A rated current and mating cycle of > 500 cycles. The 770 series offers an 8-pin count, rated voltage of 175 V, 2-A rated current and mating cycle of >5,000. Both series provide IP67 protection (connected) and a variable cable outlet.

Schurter’s sustainability initiatives include a new Green Line collection of bio-based components. This includes several of the company’s existing product series – the 6100-3, 6100-4, 6102-3, 6102-5, 6600-3 and 6600-4 appliance connectors, which are also now made with bio-based plastics. The new line is part of Schurter’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by 2035.

“Our goal is to eventually offer only sustainable Green Line products, but for now, we use a dual-sourcing strategy and will continuously expand our Green Line offerings,” said Marcel Mühlemann, Schurter’s product manager.

The bio-based polymers used in the Green Line products are developed from renewable materials to significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to fossil-based plastics. Bio-based plastics often have a lower density than fossil plastics, resulting in lower material consumption, according to Schurter.

Key requirements for the development of the Green Line include maintaining CO2 neutral raw material over the whole life cycle with end-of-life recyclability and significant CO2 savings. In addition, the raw material must not compete with food production and must have equal or better technical characteristics.

One of those materials is Ricinus, a castor bean plant. It is ideal for sustainability as it grows in dry areas; it is not suitable for agriculture, and it does not require pesticides or artificial irrigation to grow, Mühlemann said.

It is not edible for humans, so it does not compete as a food crop, he said.

“Our sustainable sourcing practices aim to minimize the use of fossil feedstock and instead transition to bio-based high-performance polyamide sourcing solutions with the lowest carbon footprint,” Mühlemann said.

“During the process, we invited a third-party company to evaluate the products’ entire life cycle from raw material to production, packaging, delivery and finally the disposal and found we could achieve a CO2 reduction of up to 68% per product,” he said. “While there are other interesting alternatives to fossil materials, we carefully selected this organic material. It is important to clarify, however, that you must analyze the whole lifecycle from origin [how the product is produced, water consumption, pesticides] up to the recycling, to determine if the material is truly sustainable.”

Mühlemann also explained that the company, when developing the Green Line, wanted to source a material that was at least equal to or better in technical characteristics compared to the fossil material. In fact, they found bio-based materials that outperform fossil-based materials in some cases, such as in the strength of the material to meet certain testing requirements. Other environmentally-friendly materials are being sought including lead-free metal alloys.

The Green Line is “moderately priced,” Schurter said. Pricing starts at $0.98 each in quantities of 500 pieces.

Schurter began integrating environmental protection principles into their processes as early as 1990. It was one of the first companies in Switzerland to become ISO 14001-certified in 1996.