New wire-to-board RF coaxial IDC connectors for industrial and automotive applications

AVX Corporation has delivered what is claimed to be the first wire-to-board RF coaxial IDC connectors for industrial and automotive applications. The initial release of the new 00-6791 Series RF Coaxial IDC Connectors is composed of two small, single-piece solutions ideal for various types of coaxial cable and offers a patented one-touch coaxial cable termination mechanism that simplifies both the connection process and claims to outperforms competing solutions in terms of size, quality, cost, and performance. The new connectors provide high-quality RF performance that surpasses that of cables soldered directly to a PCB, have a lower component cost and smaller size than conventional two-piece RF connectors with similar performance – measuring down to 10mm x 6.6mm x 3.9mm (L x W x H) when seated, and enable easier, less time-consuming and less costly assemblies than soldered connections and conventional RF connectors. Created to meet demanding automotive and industrial needs varying from rugged constructions to space constraints, time savings, and cost efficiencies, the series offers mechanical bracing for high-strength performance abilities and is fully compatible with both automated SMT pick-and-place processing and automated lead-free reflow soldering, which significantly improves connection quality, reliability, and repeatability and allows use in the automotive industry. The new connectors are also compatible with Bluetooth, GPS, GSM, and WLAN protocols and are rated for 0.5A (dependent on the cable), 70N of horizontal pull-force, 20N of vertical pull-force, 125VAC operation, and frequencies up to 6GHz, which makes them ideal for use in a mixture of space-constrained automotive, industrial, and consumer market applications including shark fin automotive antennas, security access terminals, smart meters, and industrial automation equipment. "Our new 00-6791 Series RF Coaxial IDC Connectors are the only product on the market that offers this unique combination of size, mechanical strength, and simplified coaxial termination capabilities," said Tom Anderson, connector product manager, AVX Interconnect. "Featuring a range of up to 6GHz with nominal return loss and low VSWR, these innovative connectors not only deliver higher-quality and higher-reliability RF performance than more labour-intensive soldered connections; they also deliver comparable performance to traditional two-piece RF connector solutions with footprints and assembled heights that are much better suited for today's space-critical devices and crowded PCBs, and with a significantly less involved and less costly termination process."