HOW TO SPECIFY A CUSTOM HERMETIC CONNECTOR

Innovation in commercial aviation and military aircraft continues to advance at a rapid rate. And what’s possible today is limited only by the imagination. In fact, engineers around the world are looking at new design configurations daily, and news of something groundbreaking, revolutionary, cutting-edge, or ahead-of-its-time is becoming more mainstream.

While hermetically sealed connectors may represent a small part of your overall aircraft’s costs, innovative ideas may require custom connectors that allow electrical components across the entire aircraft to withstand the demands of the harshest, most extreme environments. And when you’re starting from scratch, you need the right kind of partner who can help you identify the perfect connector for the job.

At Hermetic Seal, we engage with your design team in an upfront, exploratory conversation to understand what you need, the role it plays in the overall design idea, and the environment in which it will operate.

So just how do you go about specifying a custom hermetic connector?

We engage with your team upfront, to understand what role a custom hermetic connector will play in the overall design.

START WITH THE BASICS: WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WILL BE USED, IN BROAD TERMS

• What are the environmental operating requirements? Examples include temperature, pressure, vibration, or some combination of those conditions?
• Is it dependent on maintaining a constant internal pressure to deliver signals that ensure the safety of a commercial aircraft?
• Does it need to operate in a harsh environment where the connector acts as a mechanical barrier to combinations of gases, liquids, or particles? If so, in what capacity?
• What, if any, special considerations need to be taken into account? Such as the longevity of the installation.

GET INTO MORE DETAILS: SPECIFIC INFORMATION A MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO KNOW

• What are the signal or power requirements of the device?
• What are the shock, vibration, and leakage rates?
• Are you operating at low frequencies or high frequencies where compromise is not possible?
• Does the mounting flange need to be welded to a housing with an unusual diameter? Or to a special alloy?
• What type of weld is needed, and how long does it need to last?
• Other special assembly or test needs?

ELABORATE ON THE ASSEMBLY: PRODUCTION CONSIDERATIONS TO CONSIDER

• How will you assemble and test your product to meet this environment? (Note: sometimes the assembly-and-test process is more extreme than the actual operating conditions.)
• What are the production lead times, phasing, dependencies, and considerations on your end that need to be taken into account?

As part of the process, you need to be prepared to discuss the materials that withstand extreme environments — hour after hour, day after day, year after year.

Understanding the environment is essential to ensuring the right materials are used in the design of any custom hermetic connector.

When it comes to the design of connectors to meet the most demanding of applications, the conversation around specifying a custom hermetic connector is a collaborative one. At Hermetic Seal, we’ll guide you through the decision-making process to select metal alloys, glass formulations, ceramic components, and product geometry that will help achieve your vision.