Fortis Zd next-gen backplane connector debuts for military, commercial aerospace applications

MUNICH, 21 March 2012. TE Connectivity, a global provider of electrical components, connectors, network solutions, and specialty products, has unveiled the advanced Fortis Zd high-speed backplane connector, designed for military and commercial aerospace applications.
March 21, 2012
2 min read
MUNICH, 21 March 2012. TE Connectivity, a global provider of electrical components, connectors, network solutions, and specialty products, has unveiled the advanced Fortis Zd high-speed backplane connector, designed for military and commercial aerospace applications.

As demands on systems for real-time intelligence intensifies, the importance of high-performance interconnection becomes critical. TE Connectivity set out to design a new connector system that supports increasing bandwidth requirements in a ruggedized format to withstand the increased shock and vibration requirements of emerging military applications.

“The goal was to achieve a system that combined the seemingly contradictory features of multi-gigabit speeds and extreme ruggedness,” says Kevin Rock, president, Aerospace, Defense & Marine, TE Connectivity. “Our development engineering team has produced an outstanding product that more than met the challenges set to them–providing a strong path for the next generation of electronic systems in harsh environments.”

TE Connectivity engineers provided ruggedization improvements in the high-speed backplane connector designs by marrying an electrically sophisticated, high-speed contact leadframe with a robust, industry-proven separable contact interface. A metal shell offers an even higher degree of robustness, both in the mating interface and the outer shell of the connector.

By combining the best features of commercial high-speed backplane connectors with proven MIL-SPEC contacts, the new high-performance Fortis Zd connector allows data rates of 10 Gb/s+ and is designed to enable improved communications, unmatched situational awareness, and technologically superior command/control from electronic systems.

About the Author

Courtney Howard

Courtney Howard

Executive Editor

Courtney, as executive editor, enjoys writing about all things electronics and avionics in PennWell’s burgeoning Aerospace and Defense Group, which encompasses Military & Aerospace Electronics, Avionics Intelligence, the Avionics Europe conference, and much more. She’s also a self-proclaimed social-media maven, mil-aero nerd, and avid avionics geek. Connect with Courtney at [email protected], @coho on Twitter, and on LinkedIn.

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