Insulators must have a high electrical resistance, withstand high temperatures, and be easy to manufacture for a precise fit.Įlectrodes in connectors are usually made of copper alloys, due to their good conductivity and malleability. Properties important to conductor materials are contact resistance, conductivity, mechanical strength, formability, and resilience. : 6 Materials Įlectrical connectors essentially consist of two classes of materials: conductors and insulators. No single connector has all the ideal properties for every application the proliferation of types is a result of the diverse yet specific requirements of manufacturers. In some cases an equipment manufacturer might choose a connector specifically because it is not compatible with those from other sources, allowing control of what may be connected. It is usually desirable for a connector to be easy to identify visually, rapid to assemble, inexpensive, and require only simple tooling. In addition to the classes mentioned above, connectors are characterised by their pinout, method of connection, materials, size, contact resistance, insulation, mechanical durability, ingress protection, lifetime (number of cycles), and ease of use. In computing, electrical connectors are considered a physical interface and constitute part of the physical layer in the OSI model of networking.

Splice or butt connectors (primarily insulation displacement connectors) that permanently join two lengths of wire or cable.

pin headers, screw terminals, board-to-board connectors)

PCB mount connectors soldered to a printed circuit board, providing a point for cable or wire attachment.

Chassis or panel connectors permanently attached to a piece of equipment so users can connect a cable to a stationary device.

inline or cable connectors permanently attached to a cable, so it can be plugged into another terminal (either a stationary instrument or another cable).

Electrical connectors can be divided into four basic categories, differentiated by their function:

Thousands of configurations of connectors are manufactured for power, data, and audiovisual applications.

An adapter can be used to join dissimilar connectors. The connection may be removable (as for portable equipment), require a tool for assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent electrical joint between two points. the male component, called a plug, connects to the female component, or socket. Most electrical connectors have a gender – i.e. Connectors on the back of a 2018 computerĪn electrical connector is an electromechanical device used to join electrical conductors and create an electrical circuit.

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