Aerospace Connector And Cable Solutions
Aerospace technology is constantly evolving to deliver more efficient and capable aircraft. This creates demand for light-weight, high performance bandwidth and interconnection that is able to withstand harsh and hostile high-altitude operating environments.
SMI designs and manufactures connector and cabling solutions that form an aircraft’s central nervous system. We help deliver data, power and control across systems, regardless of altitude or operating conditions, while reducing platform weight.
High performance and reliable aerospace systems
Our materials are able to expand and contract with altitude change by design, so our products will never fail on critical systems. Additionally, our technology is also designed to resist mechanical stress, corrosion damage, lightning strike, and biological or chemical contamination.
With our fit and forget approach to aerospace solutions, complex service and replacement programmes are not required, greatly reducing through-life costs.
Multi aircraft cable connector terminations
SMI connectors can have up to 19 different cables terminate in one place. Typical cable jacket materials include low/medium/high-density Polyethylene, halogen-free/flame retardant Polyurethane, and multiple grades of Neoprene.
Fully amalgamated aerospace mouldings
Our mouldings are thermoplastic, and have a complete and unassailable seal between the cable jacket and the injected materials we use. We go one step further by ensuring that a high chemical covalent bonding is present during the thermoplastic process.
Low voltage electrical connectors (1000 Vd.c.)
Multiple contact arrangements are available, up to 222 contacts in a single connector. Contact sizes ranging from 1mm diameter up to 10mm depending on current ratings required. Typical working voltages of 1000 Vd.c. and currents up to 50 Amps.
Coaxial connectors (50 Ω & 75 Ω)
Multiple contact arrangements available, up to 8 contacts including 50 Ω & 75 Ω. Typical working voltages of 1000 Vd.c. and currents up to 6 Amps.
Fibre optic connectors
Multiple contact arrangements available, up to 24 contacts including OS1, OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3 fibre types. Low insertion losses, multi bandwidth testing available including CWDM.
Hybrid electrical and coaxial connectors
Multiple contact arrangements available, up to 44 contacts including 50 Ω & 75 Ω. Contact sizes ranging from 1mm diameter up to 10mm depending on current ratings required. Typical working voltages of 1000 Vd.c. and currents up to 25 Amps.
Hybrid electrical and fibre optic connectors
Multiple contact arrangements available, up to 24 contacts including OS1, OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3 fibre types combined with Contact sizes ranging from 1mm diameter up to 2mm depending on current ratings required. Low insertion losses, multi bandwidth testing available including CWDM. Typical working voltages of 1000 Vd.c. and currents up to 25 Amps.
Medium voltage connectors (6.6KV)
Multiple contact arrangements available, up to 6 contacts including medium voltage 6.6 kV. Typical working voltages of 6600 Vd.c. and currents up to 150 Amps.
Delivering Specialist Military Aerospace Cables & Connector Solutions
An electrical wiring interconnect system (EWIS) for military aerospace is a specialised system, and SMI is a specialist trusted with the design and manufacture of those systems. When those systems need to go through fuel tanks and undercarriages of aircraft, that trust is even more critical.
Our engineered and designed pressure moulding technology ensures that cable systems and connectors are resistant to anything you can think of: shock, vibration, corrosion, and extreme temperature variations.
Combine that with strong electromagnetic protection and unassailable sealing – data rates remain high at a light weight, all adding to the operational advantage that SMI helps provide.
Civilian Aircraft
Whether you’re transporting hundreds of people in a commercial aircraft, or helping to fight fires in remote locations, our cables and connectors will be there, and be as high performance and robust as you are.
We pride ourselves on our engineering – our kit is designed to be able to withstand and work alongside thermal expansion and contraction as your altitude changes. Our designs are able to be taken through fuel tanks, meaning the most efficient route can be taken by designers. Using Overmoulding and cable termination can therefore be combined to address your specific needs.
We work and recommend the best connectors for the job, whether it’s for power or optics, so we know that our technologies can continue to offer extended life and reliability when you need it most.
Case study: Canadair
When you are scooping up to 1300 gallons of water in just 12 seconds at 70mph, you need to know your sensor kit works. So we designed a moulding for a proximity sensor on the iconic Superscooper -Canadair_CL-415 – the world’s best firefighting aircraft to do just that: work every time.
The SMI designed sensors tell the pilot when the scoop is deployed and when locked back into flight mode when they can take off once more. Safety is at the forefront of our minds, and to date we’ve never had a single report of either a leakage or a failing. Fit and forget is critical here, and we show it.
Minimise through life costs
Discover how SMI’s Aerospace products and solutions minimise through life costs and deliver the long-term performance qualities we promise.
