Everything You Need to Know About Connectors

Apart from being crucial parts for current or signal connections, electrical connectors are also foundational components of industrial systems. They are available in diverse sizes and can be used in apparatuses as large as aircraft and rockets, or as small as mobile phones and televisions, and they are capable of forming bridges between circuits or other components. Connectors serve as electric current or signal links; they are devices which connect two active devices and transmit current or signals. Simply put, a connector is built to create a bridge of connection between blocked or isolated circuits within a network so that current can flow, and the circuit is able to realize its predetermined function. If you look along the line of current flow, you will notice that connectors are integral parts of electronic equipment and are nearly always present.

Electrical connectors are available in a number of frequently changing shapes and sizes depending on the application, frequency requirements, and power ratings. For example, hard drive connectors are significantly different from rocket connectors, but regardless of the type, connectors are used to ensure that current flows smoothly, continuously, and reliably. Moreover, connectors do not solely attach to current; for example, an optical fiber system is carried by light. Connectors may also be utilized in optical signal paths where they behave identically to circuit connectors. Traditional circuits, on the other hand, feature glass and plastic, rather than wires.

Connectors were first established during World War II in fighter aircraft manufacturing technology; this is because combat aircraft need to be refueled and repaired on the ground. Keep in mind that success in war is determined by the amount of time spent on the ground versus in the air. As such, military authorities wanted to reduce ground maintenance time and directly increase combat time for fighter jets. To do so, connectors were used to unite various control instruments and parts, which could then be attached into a whole system by electrical connectors alone. To perform repairs, all that needed to be done was to disassemble the defective unit and replace it with a new one, which meant the aircraft could re-enter the sky immediately after these repairs. After World War II, AT-T Bell Labs developed the Bell telephone system, and the creation of the computer, communications, and other industries made connector development explode in the market.

Because connectors are found in so many structures, they are becoming increasingly diversified and available in more fields. This makes it difficult to classify and name them, as new ones appear constantly. They are often classified using many parameters, including their nature of use, connector level, processing method, form, structure, working frequency, and broad adaptability and technical standards. Moreover, all connectors share some common components, including their contact, insulator, shell, and accessories. To start, the contact is the central component of the connector which allows the electrical connection to be completed. The contact pair tends to feature a male contact piece, along with a female contact piece, and both are inserted into the electrical connection. The next common connector part is the insulator, which is also often called the base or the insert; the purpose of the insulator is to place and space the contacts when needed, and to ensure there is insulation between each contact and the housing. The shell is the exterior cover of the connector, and accessories are the final component of a connector, those of which are used to secure connections and modify connectors based on their application.

Those in the market for dependable electrical connectors, and more, are encouraged to review our offerings on Alpha Industrial Parts, where we are committed to quality. With our strict NO CHINA SOURCING pledge, we choose to source our parts from leading global manufacturers that we trust; many of these parts are shipped out with their qualifying certifications and manufacturing trace documentation, as applicable. With more than 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find components available for immediate purchase on our database, we make it easy for you to procure the parts you need quickly and efficiently. We at Alpha Industrial Parts are your trusted connector sourcing partner.