Military-grade Heavy-duty Connectors Use Standard
The world-famous Douglas DC-3 used AF circular connectors from American manufacturer Cannon. As the clouds of conflict gathered in the late 1930s, there was a huge growth in the military development of connectors. One of the results of this growth was the idea of standardized patterns. By creating and implementing a standard design, it was possible to ensure the safety of a manufactured product almost anywhere, provided it would be compatible with an equivalent product manufactured elsewhere. Today, this legacy remains with us in the form of military standards, commonly referred to as mil-specs.
Nowhere is this more true than in the Connector Insert industry, probably because connectors are the interface between systems and equipment. Military platforms such as aircraft or ships are assembled from a wide variety of subsystems, all manufactured by different companies, and using mil-specs to define connector interfaces ensures that the final assembly is simple and straightforward.
Why mil-specs?
Ruggedness: Many military connector designs are designed for use in harsh conditions. Whether it is the heat of the tropics or the cold of the arctic, military equipment must operate in the toughest environments on earth. This makes them ideal for use in industrial applications that may encounter similar conditions. From the battlefield to the mining industry, or from field signal equipment to outside broadcast trucks, there are mil-spec connectors that can solve industrial problems.
Familiarity: By designing connectors to common standards, manufacturers create a range of products that are used by thousands of users around the world, which means there are a large number of people with real-world experience installing and operating these connectors. This has benefits ranging from operator training to tool availability, all of which make it easier for industrial customers to adopt these connectors.
