Hypertronics - Railway and Mass Transit Specialty Connectors

Hypertronics has been a leader in the design, manufacturing and distribution of specialty connectors since 1970. Their ultra-high reliability Hypertac® contact system is renowned for delivering unfailing performance for the most demanding railway and mass transit applications.

TRACTION AND SIGNALING CONNECTORS AND CABLE ASSEMBLIES

Hypertronics offers a wide range of signal, power and coax connectors, and cable assemblies for integrated systems in railway traction and signaling markets. Product offerings include standard catalog products as well as custom-designed connectors for more specific application needs and performance requirements.

Hypertronics' core competencies are:

• Hypertac® technology
• Custom solutions
• High-speed technology
• High-density applications
• Rapid prototyping

HYPERTAC® CONTACT SYSTEM

The Hypertac is an advanced contact design that satisfies performance requirements previously considered impossible. The design is a hyperboloid which is formed by wires strung at an angle to the socket's axis. When the pin is inserted into this sleeve, the wires stretch around it, providing a number of linear contact paths.

The superior design of this contact system offers several benefits:

• Low insertion / extraction force, providing a high-density interconnect system
• Long contact life, meaning low cost of ownership (100,000 mating cycles)
• High current ratings for maximum contact performance
• Immunity to shock and vibration, providing reliability in harsh environments
• Low contact-resistance for low power-consumption
• Fretting corrosion resistance, eliminating interference

The unique combination of performances ensures ultimate reliability and low cost of ownership, making the Hypertronics Hypertac the natural choice for safety-critical applications.

The Hypertac is compliant with international regulations on passenger health and safety in public transport: it is UL94V0 (self-extinguished), I classification (oxygen index and glow wire test) and F classification (smoke toxicity and opacity) for railway applications (NF F 16-101/102). Hypertac contacts and connectors have been tested to:

• Sine vibration (according to CEI 68-2-6)
• 20g from 10Hz to 2,000Hz
• Random vibration (according to CEI 68-2-35)
• 0.5g²/Hz from 10Hz to 2,000Hz
• Shock (according to CEI 68-2-27)
• 250g during 0.4ms (½ a sine-wave)

FRETTING CORROSION RESISTANCE

Fretting corrosion is a contact failure mode of mechanically high-stressed electrical contacts which causes an unacceptable increase of contact resistance. It occurs when two contact surfaces are in relatively small amplitude movements caused by external vibrations or temperature variations.

Hypertronics prevents fretting by using oxide-free plating such as hard gold over nickel with a controlled pin roughness.

ADVANTAGES OVER BLADE AND FORK CONTACTS

The Hypertac contact outperforms blade and fork contacts by 60 times (Hypertac has 15million fretting cycles, blade and fork contacts 250,000). Hypertac's five wires also provide an infinite number of contact points versus two points of contact on the blade / fork

The Hypertac also provides continuous wiping and cleaning of the contact pin, and contact / no contact bounce.

COUPLERS, PCBS AND CONNECTORS

Hypertronics offers a variety of couplers, PCBs, and modular, rectangular, circular and high-speed connectors suitable for the harsh environments associated with railway and mass transit applications. Hypertronics' high-speed interconnect solutions accommodate new railway developments by offering electrical and fiber-optic contacts and cable assemblies.

HIGH-POWER CONNECTORS

High-power connectors are flame resistant, halogen free and low smoke density values for dielectric material. Hypertronics' high-performance interconnect solutions are used when the environment demands reliability, durability, rugged and versatile connectors.

INTERCONNECT SOLUTIONS WORLDWIDE

With a global presence, Hypertronics can provide high-performance interconnect solutions for demanding applications anywhere in the world. Hypertronics has offices operating in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and China.

Hypertronics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Smiths Group (UK: SMIN), a multinational company headquartered in London, UK.