tec.News - Harting

horizontal contact rows, but the
HARTING contribution goes beyond
the 63 har-bus HM connectors.
propose a configuration for the signal
and ground pins complying with
the stringent requirements and to
supply test data on the simulation
of the performance specification
by June 1999.
The results were unreservedly convincing
and har-bus HM was chosen
as the connector system for Pro-
Bel's new generation of signal distribution
and routing systems. In
addition to fulfilling the stipulated
performance characteristics, the
har-bus HM configuration also creates
effective matched impedance
between two halves of differential
pairs in adjacent rows.
FROM PROTOTYPE TO SERIES
Following an initial prototype run,
it became evident that tolerance
build up in the metal subrack, was
allowing lateral floating of the
plug in cards. This resulted in a 0.5
millimetre misalignment between
the har-bus HM mating halves. Together
the two companies overcame
the problem by utilising selective
location of coded versions
within connector rows. This effectively
guided the plug in board into
position prior to contact mating.
Eclipse is currently the most technically
advanced and at the same
time the most compact routing
system in its class, meeting all the
requirements of the SMPTE 259M
(Society of Motion Pictures and
Television Engineers) standard. It
offers a capacity of 128 x 256 channels
(expandable) on 24 horizontally
mounted plug-in boards, devided
into 16 signal, 4 power and 4
control cards, mounted in a 14U
subrack (1 U = 44.45 mm).
The advantages of the har-bus HM
with respect to packing density
become particularly clear when
Eclipse is compared with its predecessor,
the XD system. The XD
system offers 64 x 128 channels in
a 12U rack, which means that with
a mere 16 % increase in external
dimensions Eclipse facilitates an
increase in capacity of an impressive
400 %!
A MUTUALLY ADVANTAGEOUS
PARTNERSHIP
Eclipse benefits in full from functional
characteristics such as "end
to end stackability", mechanical
coding, gold-plated rear spills and
vertical connections between the
In every Eclipse system 34 of 68-
pin SCSI connectors, a 20-pin IDC
header, complete pre-assembly of
the subassembly with fitted backplanes
and pre-configured cable
sets from HARTING provide the
right connection.
A classic example of a mutually
beneficial business partnership:
HARTING provides the integrated
system hardware thereby allowing
Pro-Bel to concentrate its
own resources on further development
of their leading edge
proprietary technology.
RUSS TRAYLING is Materials Manager
at Pro-Bel Ltd. in Reading,
Berkshire, United Kingdom.
MALCOLM JACKSON is Systems Business
Manager at HARTING LTD. in Northampton,
United Kingdom.
Info-Fax 4004
23
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