Lightweight, Corrosion-Free Composites - Pan Pacific Electronics

Glenair Composite Connector and AccessoryApplication Design ConsiderationsIntroduction• Low cost/commodity resins with large volumemarket costs of less than $1.50/lb• Medium cost/engineering resins that fallbetween $1.50-$3.00/lb• High cost/high temperature resistant resinsthat usually cost above $3.00/lb.Re-Designing Interconnect Systemsfor Composite ThermoplasticsInterconnect products made of compositematerials offer significant advantages oversteel or aluminum. They’re lighter. They don’trust. They don’t loosen under vibration. Theycan hide from radar. Yet the ability to designcomposite components that take advantage ofthese properties while still meeting form, fit andfunction requirements is no simple task.Connector accessories, no matterthe material, must thread onto the backof connectors. Intermatability with othercomponents, whether composite or metal, iscritical. Composite component design is furthercomplicated due to the unique strengths andweakness of the material. Abrupt changes inwall thicknesses, for example, can lead to stressproblems in both manufacture and use. Sharp,un-radiused angles can create stress and causecracking. The length, shape, orientation anddistribution of reinforcing fibers is also a criticalconcern, as is the impact of other additives,such as colorizers and flame retardants, on thebehavior of the material during manufacture anduse.Interconnect systems designers continue tospecify composites, despite the complicationsof the design and manufacturing process. Theweight savings, corrosion resistance and othersignificant advantages of composites representreal, out-of pocket savings in fuel consumptionand lifetime system maintenance for a broadrange of air, sea and space applications.Special Applications of EngineeringPlastics: Flexible TubingMost of the products in this catalog aremade from glass-filled thermoplastic resins,such as PEI (polyetherimide). These Glenairinterconnect components—connectors, junctionboxes, backshells and so on—are produced in aninjection molding process that results in productsthat are known for their toughness, damageresistance,dimensional stability and strength.But other formulas of engineering plastics, suchas ETFE (ethylene tetrafluorethylene), are alsowidely applied by Glenair to produce a verydifferent class of products: flexible convolutedtubing.Unlike glass-filled thermoplastics thatproduce rigid parts, ETFE, FEP, and other hightemperatureplastics used by Glenair in tubingfabrication produce products that are known fortheir folding endurance, or the number of times thematerial can be bent or flexed before experiencingfailure. Used in wire-protection applications wherea rigid, jacketed cable would experience rapidfailure, flexible plastic tubing delivers outstandingperformance and durability.Glenair specializes in the manufacture ofruggedized plastic tubing for shipboard, aircraftand ground applications, and offers the world’sbroadest range of environmental, mechanical andEMI hardened solutions. Our recentlyexpanded convoluted tubing andconduit manufacturing facility inGlendale is a state-of-the-artplant with every step inthe tubing extrusionand finishingprocesscentralizedunder oneroof.© 2009 Glenair, Inc.CAGE Code 06324Printed in U.S.A.GLENAIR, INC. • 1211 AIR WAY • GLENDALE, CA 91201-2497 • 818-247-6000 • FAX 818-500-9912www.glenair.comIntro-19E-Mail: sales@glenair.com