The AEC 3102 connector, a circular connector, is a box-mounted receptacle that is part of Amerline’s AEC 5015 commercial connector series. As part of this series, the AEC 3102 connector is environmentally resistant and meets military specification for electrical connections in military and commercial equipment.
Let’s take a deeper look at AEC 3102 durability and uses of these reliable receptacles.
The AEC 3102: Product Specifications of a Commercial Version of the MS3102 Connector
As a drop-in commercial equivalent of the MS3102 connector, the AEC 3102 connector offers all the key benefits the MIL-SPEC connector design calls out. You have ruggedness and durability — both of which are critical when talking about a connector mounted to a piece of equipment that endures many mating cycles.
For this reason, the military specced the MS3102 connector to include resilient rubber inserts. That way, over the course of those mating cycles with plug-style connectors, contacts would be protected from damage. The AEC 3102 connectors feature these same inserts, offering protection in industrial applications like mounting on welding and lighting equipment.
Taking Advantage of Customization Options
There are good reasons why the MS3102 connector design has stayed the same over the years: it’s robust, simple and serves its function well. What’s advantageous about the AEC 3102 connectors is you can build upon all these benefits with room to customize.
With AEC 3102 connectors, for instance, you have the option to choose from different plating options — a list that includes olive drab chromate coating over zinc plating. Amerline can customize different flange options by machining special dimensions that allows for more versatility in mounting configurations as well as accommodating space constraint.. Additionally, AEC 3102 connectors can be configured with modified solder cup contacts where larger wire gauges are required.
The AEC 3102 Includes Glued-In Contacts for Retention
Within the MIL-SPEC standard, there is no provision that says contacts in the MS3102 connector need to be glued-in. Instead, there is reference to the force that different size contacts must be able to withstand — such as 10 pounds of force for a size 16 contact.
By gluing in contacts to the AEC 3102 connector, we’ve strengthened contact retention. Now, a size 16 contact can handle forces over 10 pounds and even up to 20 to 25 pounds.
This measure also lends itself to AEC 3102 durability by providing added protection from water ingress, as there’s no gap between the contact and the insert it is housed in. The design can also incorporate strain relief features to further protect the contacts from mechanical stress and cable movement.
The AEC 5015’s reliability is evident in the AEC 3102 connector. To take advantage of these reliable receptacles for your applications, request a quote today.
