High-speed data solutions and components are a growing requirement in the aerospace and defense industry. Modern systems are requiring higher data transfer speeds for mission-critical operations in harsh environments. The MACHFORCE® connector offers a highly dense 10G D38999 style solution with 10 Ethernet ports for applications transferring large quantities of data in rugged environments. To offer this density and address potential issues of signal integrity with 10 Ethernet ports, the MACHFORCE integrates an innovative High-Speed Module (HSM) designed specifically with impedance control and data pair isolation in mind. When paired with a high-performance Ethernet cable, these design attributes of the HSM enable optimized electrical performance with multiple disconnects.
Impedance Control with the High-Speed Module
To ensure 10G Ethernet performance the impedance of each twisted pair must be maintained. If a pair’s twist is altered, the impedance is negatively impacted and the electrical signal will be disrupted causing system application issues. The MACHFORCE HSM is designed to enable the placement of all ten twisted pairs in individual grooves to protect the twists up through the crimped contact. In addition, the HSM’s dielectric is manufactured with liquid crystal polymer (LCP) because it is a robust electrical conductor that maintains the impedance between the cable and contact.
Figure 1: High-Speed Module Grooves
Figure 2: E6A6824 Near End Cross Talk (NEXT)
Figure 3: E6A6826 Near End Cross Talk (NEXT)
Data Pair Isolation with the High-Speed Module
With ten 10G Ethernet cables in close proximity, it is essential that the twisted pairs are properly isolated in order to protect signal integrity. The HSM is designed with fins to separate twisted pairs and reduce crosstalk. In addition, the HSM body is made of aluminum, a material that naturally reduces the electromagnetic waves emitted from the twisted pairs that cause signal interference. The aluminum fins are an essential part of the rectangular HSM design, allowing for twisted pairs to be packed in closer to maximize shell data density with ten ports while protecting signal integrity and application performance.
Figure 4: High-Speed Module Fins
Shielded 10G Ethernet Cable Solutions with the High-Speed Module
MACHFORCE has been tested and qualified for use with PIC Wire & Cable’s DataMATES 10G Ethernet cables. The E6A6824 and E6A6826 CAT6a cables offer a shielding design that minimizes crosstalk between twisted pairs. Each cable features both silver-plated copper braided shielding and foil shielding to reduce the electromagnetic waves that are emitted from the pairs. To reduce signal interference, the incorporation of innovative design features in these cables and the HSM ultimately allows for optimized electrical performance that can extend long distances and over multiple connection breaks.
Left: Figure 5: E6A6824 Insertion Loss, Right: Figure 6: E6A6826 Insertion Loss