Detailed Discussion of MIL-STD-1353 (Part 2): Nickel and Gold Plating

July 12, 2021 Laura Wishart

Plating materials used on electrical connectors are imperative to the connector maintainability and dependability throughout its service life. In the last article on MIL-STD-1353, we discussed Tin as a plating metal, its restrictions in practical use, and the potential of whisker formation which can lead to destructive arcing or short circuit events. Here, we discuss the use of gold and nickel as plating metals and their effectiveness when used together.

Detailed Discussion of MIL-STD-1353 (Part 1): Tin Plating

April 21, 2021 Laura Wishart

The mating of the electrical wiring interconnect system (EWIS) is a non-trivial task. Between the functional requirements (the correct number of pins, sizing of contacts, etc.), there are also the performance requirements (operational environment, corrosion resistance, impedance matching, etc.). This is then further complicated by installation requirements (sizing), maintenance requirements (mating/demating cycles), and regulatory requirements (limitations of materials that can be used). Obviously, adding a connector to a wire harness is not a five-second activity. This article looks at the MIL-STD-1353 specific requirements for tin usage in aircraft connectors. Read more

A Summary of MIL-STD-1353, A Guide to Connector Selection

March 26, 2021 Laura Wishart

Due to the diversity of connector applications, each connector is liable to be subject to entirely different electrical stress, mechanical stress, environmental conditions, etc. Knowing the severity of conditions a connector will be exposed to during its service life is imperative during the selection process. The MIL-STD-1353 (Electrical Connectors, Plug-in Sockets and Associated Hardware, Selection and Use of) document aims to provide guidance in the selection of connectors used in equipment intended for military use. The document references several standards/ requirements that must be met for military equipment qualification and combines them into one easy-to-reference guide. Read more

Latest Developments in Wire and Cable (Spring 2019)

May 14, 2019 Michael Traskos

Wire and cable standards are never proactive, but reactive to industry needs, and as the aviation world moves to high power systems, wire and cable must catch up to ensure the products are available for long reliable service life. Twice a year the SAE wire/cable community comes together to slowly push the standards and industry guidance forward; this year, New Orleans was the setting.

During this three-day meeting, several topics were discussed impacting the next generation of aircraft designs. Here, we cover a couple of these developments.

Connector Failure Rates – Part #2

January 26, 2018 Michael Traskos

In Lectromec’s previous article, we introduced a basis for estimating connector failure rates. The framework utilized the failure information available from military handbook MIL-HDBK-217. In this article, we continue to review the parameters of the failure rate function and implications on how slight changes in the environment can have a dramatic impact on a connectors […] Read more

Connector Failure Rates – Part #1

January 17, 2018 Michael Traskos

Coming up with failure rates of electrical components is always a difficult task. Historically, when failure modes and effects analyses were created for aircraft systems, the level of detail of EWIS component failures were severely lacking. Some organizations would create a single failure number for an entire circuit, regardless of the wires or connections made […] Read more

How to Derate a Wire Harness

May 19, 2017 Michael Traskos

One of the question that we frequently receive at Lectromec is regarding the derating of wire harnesses. For those unfamiliar with the topic, we have covered this extensively in past articles. The quick summary of this is that due to the temperature rating of a wire, there is only a certain amount of electrical current […] Read more

Developments in High-Voltage

May 10, 2017 Michael Traskos

The first meeting of the 8A and 8D committees for 2017 was held in Kissimmee Florida in April 2017. There were several topics discussed and voted upon that will have an impact on future wire component and system designs (previous article on SAE 8A/8D committee meeting available here). One common theme in the meeting was […] Read more

Signs of an Aging Wiring System

May 1, 2017 Michael Traskos

All components wear out over time, but the rate at which they degrade will vary depending on the quality of the product, how is it handled, and the environmental conditions in which the component is installed. To consider all the potential ways that an EWIS can fail, it can be overwhelming. As a brief list […] Read more