Molex Backplane Connectors Lower Cost, Raise Design Flexibility

Forecasting cost savings and design flexibility for both standard and orthogonal backplane architectures, the I-Trac backplane connector system exploits a broadside-coupled, skew-equalized design that handles speeds up to 12.5 Gb/s. The platform offers users the flexibility to assign high-speed differential pairs, low-speed signals, and power/ground contacts anywhere within the pin-field. It is a press-fit, mono-block system that is stackable end-to-end to meet specific pin-count requirements, and uses the same part numbers for both standard and orthogonal architectures via the option to rotate headers 90° on one side of the middle plane. Other features include support for quad trace routing and integrated guidance options. In addition, the system's power modules can handle over 250A per linear inch. Available in a variety of row and column sizes, pricing depends on configuration, i.e., an 11-row system costs $0.07 per mated line in volume. MOLEX INC., Lisle, IL. (630) 969-4550.