Fountain Inn, S.C., May 16, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AVX Corporation, a leading manufacturer and supplier of passive components and interconnect solutions, has developed and is now sampling a new, first-of-it-kind, off-the-shelf, high-reliability wire-to-board (WTB) connection system for discrete 18 – 24AWG wire terminations in quality- and cost-conscious automotive electronics applications exposed to shock, vibration, high temperatures, and other harsh environmental elements, including vehicular computers, such as airbag, engine, and transmission control units. The new 53-8702 Series combines industry-proven insulation displacement contact (IDC) and press-fit or compliant pin technology in a single package to deliver robust, double-ended, cold-welded, and gas-tight WTB terminations that eliminate costly two-piece connector systems, improve implementation efficiency and reliability, enable problem-free conformal coating, enhance design flexibility, and remain effective throughout the life of a vehicle.

“IDC and press fit/compliant pin technologies have proven to be two of the most reliable contact systems in critical automotive applications for more than a decade now and are widely employed throughout the industry,” said Tom Anderson, connector product manager at AVX. “By combining these two trusted contact technologies in a single high-reliability solution, we’ve achieved the perfect marriage of materials and contact geometries for use in harsh environment automotive electronics and — more than likely — as engineers test and validate samples of the series, additional applications outside of automotive as well.”  

AVX’s new 53-8702 Series IDC/Press-Fit WTB connectors feature two phosphor bronze contacts per position, each of which exhibits superior fatigue resistance over extreme temperature and deflection ranges, and are currently available in five positions. The series is rated for 6 – 10A depending on wire size, 125V, operating temperatures spanning -40°C to +125°C, and a single termination cycle. 

Benefits of the new series include:
- Redundant contact systems for enhanced wire retention and PCB attachment.
- The ability to replace costly, two-piece connector systems with a single solution comprised of the two contact technologies most revered for their ability to deliver high-reliability connections capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, shock, vibration, and thermal expansion over long lifetimes in automotive applications.
- The ability to connect two PCBs that are in close proximity, but not in the same orientation or alignment location for a traditional board-to-board connector more reliably than the FFC/FPC cables typically used to jumper between two zero insertion force (ZIF) connectors, especially in high-vibration applications.
- Improved implementation efficiency over FFC/FPC connectors via the use of multiple color-coded discrete wire gauges to achieve high current-carrying capabilities, which can facilitate easier and more traditional wire dressing and routing through a vehicle.
- Compatibility with potting processes without any risk of ingress, unlike traditional, elastic-only contact systems, which are vulnerable to potting material ingress during both the potting process and thermal expansion.
- Dual assembly methodologies that allow for either pre-installation on a PCB during the board build process, enabling wires to be inserted and pressed into place with any standard flat rock seating tool upon final assembly, or pre-installation on a wiring harness, enabling the connector to simply be pressed into the PCB upon final assembly, the latter of which is especially well suited to conformal coating processes. 

For more information about AVX’s new high-reliability 53-8702 Series IDC/Press-Fit WTB connectors, please visit http://www.avx.com/products/connectors/wire-to-board/idc-connectors-14-28-awg/idc-press-fit-53-8702-wtb/ to access the product datasheet. Additional information may also be found in the technical article, “ A Perfect Marriage: The Future of IDC and Press-Fit Contacts in Automotive,” which published in the May 2, 2017 issue of Connector Supplier. To request engineering samples for test and validation in new automotive electronic systems, please submit a request form at http://www.avx.com/resources/samples/. For all other inquiries, please visit www.avx.com, call 864-967-2150, or write to One AVX Boulevard, Fountain Inn, S.C. 29644.

About AVX
AVX Corporation is a leading international manufacturer and supplier of electronic passive components and interconnect solutions with 20 manufacturing and warehouse facilities in 11 countries around the world. AVX offers a broad range of devices including capacitors, resistors, filters, timing and circuit protection devices, and connectors. The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:AVX).

A member of the Kyocera Group since 1990, AVX is also the only company authorized to supply Kyocera’s electronic devices to the Americas and Europe. Established in 1959 and based in Kyoto, Japan, Kyocera Corporation is a leading international supplier of connectors, capacitors, ceramic resonators, surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters and duplexers, and crystal oscillators and timing devices. 
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Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6a0d0a09-72e4-410b-90c0-c6fb29ea8ee4

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/578b7d7a-3b04-4d09-a7d1-d0940758e8a1

Tom Anderson
AVX Corporation
843-241-2179
tom.anderson@avx.com

Sarah Teal
BtB Marketing
919-872-8172
sarah.teal@btbmarketing.com