con:card+ is a quality seal for AdvancedMC™ connectors that helps to deliver a significant increase in the reliability of MicroTCATM and AdvancedTCA® systems. In order to reach the target availability of 99.999 %, all system components must be carefully coordinated, and they must function reliably. The selection of suitable connectors is an essential, decisive factor here, as today it is virtually impossible for series production to meet the strict tolerances for the AdvancedMCTM modules as defined in the respective specifications. The so-called GuideSpring is ideally suited for compensating here, and represents just one of a total of five key advantages of the con:card+ philosophy. All the advantages are introduced in the following.
Special contact material
Unlike conventional mating systems with male and female connectors, the AdvancedMC™ has only one, not two, contact tongues per contact. In order to ensure a permanently reliable contact, this single contact tongue must press against the gold pad with sufficient force throughout the entire lifetime. In addition, the thickness of the AdvancedMC™ modules may fluctuate by ± 10 %. To meet this challenge, HARTING utilizes a special alloy with very low relaxation as the contact material for the con:card+ connector.
PdNi contact coating
In order better to meet the high requirements placed on the connectors, a palladium-nickel surface (PdNi) with additional gold flash is used. As a result, wear resistance is increased by roughly 30 %. Even when applied very thinly, PdNi surfaces offer a quality and corrosionresistant coating that meets the high requirements placed on the connection far better than pure gold.
Smooth contact surface
The specification for the AdvancedMC™ entails 200 mating cycles for a module. On the pcb, the nickel/hard gold layer on the relatively soft copper can only stand up to this high load if the contact surface is absolutely smooth.
This is the case with the con:card+ connector. With years of experience in stamping techniques and the utilization of high-performance stamping tools with special process components, HARTING is actively involved in minimizing gold pad wear.
GuideSpring
Pcb manufacturers are not capable of meeting the AdvancedMC™ modules‘ tight tolerances with certainty in the series process today. Just a single card with tolerances slightly larger than allowed by the specifications can lead to a system breakdown.
The con:card+ GuideSpring offsets these tolerance deviations by constantly pressing the module against the opposite wall. As this is displaced somewhat towards the middle, the slot is optimally designed for the AdvancedMC™ module, and the mating reliability increases tremendously.
In addition, the GuideSpring secures the module position in the case of shocks and vibrations. This prevents loss of contact and surface wear.
Press-fit technology
Press-fit technology results in a gas-tight, corrosion-resistant, low-ohm quality mechanical connection between the pin and the through contacting of the pcb. This remains reliably in contact and stable, even under conditions of high mechanical and thermal loads, such as vibration, bending and frequent temperature changes. This technology represents a tremendous advantage over other processing techniques. Measurements substantiate that the required transmission rates are easily attained.