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Data Comm Connectors

Overview

Also known as power connectors, data and communications (or data comm) connectors are used in data center servers and robotics applications. These connectivity solutions are versatile and powerful. Although they are suited to many applications, several features are often required, including high amperage, modularity, efficient power, and an overall cost of savings per rack for data center servers. In addition, data comm connectors must accommodate the space constraints of the application.

DATA COMM CONNECTORS DEFINEDservers_shutterstock

Many aspects of our modern world rely on data centers to provide efficient, economical, and sustainable connectivity. All of the components used in data centers influence the system’s design, performance, and operating costs. Even the smallest components, like connectors, can make a big impact by optimizing power utilization. High-quality power connectors can help reduce long-term costs while providing reliable interconnect solutions over the equipment’s lifespan. Although there are many details to consider when selecting data comm connectors, some of the most important factors are power performance, thermal efficiency, cost efficiency, and modularity.

  • POWER: When selecting an individual connector for a data center, the product should be evaluated for its power performance in general (high power, low power, AC/DC power, etc.) as well as its power density and power efficiency. In addition, how will the power performance affect the size of the connector, the temperature rise, and the cost?
  • HEAT: Data centers generate a large amount of heat, which increases cooling costs. The selection of high-quality connectors optimized for cooling can decrease these costs through integrated ventilation, which encourages air flow.
  • COST: Data centers utilize thousands of connectors, so the selection of a particular product can garner significant long-term cost savings. It’s important to evaluate the cost of the product as well as the energy savings produced. In a large data center, selecting a high-performance connector and reducing the number of connectors per rack could produce savings amounting to millions of dollars.
  • MODULARITY: By offering a selection of individual, selectable components that can be combined, modular families of connectors help engineers provide customized connectivity solutions. Versatile, affordable, and efficient, modular connectors can be arranged to produce the ideal size, weight, and power (SWaP) characteristics for an application without necessitating the creation of a unique connector designed from scratch.

shutterstock_data center serversUSES

In our increasingly tech-saturated world, data comm connectors are widely used in a variety of applications and will undoubtedly be used in new fields in the decades to come. They provide connectivity solutions in data centers, servers, storage systems, networking equipment, cloud computing systems, consumer electronics, and robotics. In all these IT and data comm applications, engineers are looking for technology connectors that provide high efficiency and high reliability in a compact package.

PRODUCTS

Power connectors from Positronic are well suited to technology applications like servers and robotics. For example, the connectors in our OCP_version_3 b_1onlyScorpion Family are among the most versatile modular power/signal connectors available. Offering a unique approach to modular design, they allow you to configure the ideal connector for your specific application’s requirements. They include the following design features:

  • Up to 100 amperes per contact
  • Ability to add signal contacts
  • Venting options for improved air cooling
  • Blank modules for greater creepage and clearance for higher voltage needs
  • Unique locking systems for blind mating, float mount, and cable connector options

Within the Scorpion family, one of the most popular choices for technology connectors is the LSP Series. These low-profile, rectangular connectors are just 8.20 mm in height and accommodate a temperature range of -55°C to 125°C.

OCP_version_2_SP5YYEThe Compact Power Family (PCI) of connectors also satisfies the stringent demands of many data and communications applications. These industrial-grade, rectangular connectors deliver a high current capacity despite their small footprint. Other benefits include the following:

  • Three level sequential mating
  • AC or DC input, output, and power management
  • Multiple power contacts that provide efficient current distribution of multi-voltage outputs
  • Multiple output contacts can be paralleled for the increased current requirements of distributed power applications
  • Superior blind mating

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