REMOTE LOCATIONS: HOW TO DESIGN INTERCONNECT SOLUTIONS FOR HARSH ENVIRONMENTS PIERRE-YVES MIKUS, PHD, R&D MANAGER ARMAND HATTAT, SALES ENGINEER ˇ
CHRISTOPHE TISSERAND, SALES MANAGER SANDRINE HERMANT, MARKETING MANAGER AXON’ CABLE
Electronic systems and equipment are often used in hard-to-reach locations. When it comes to remote locations, space often comes to mind, because nothing on Earth is as remote as the red planet Mars or deep space. Closer to us, we can think of mountain-top observatories, deep sea rovers, or inter-continent data links. The common issue among technologies used in these challenging operating conditions is the extreme difficulty – if not impossibility – of accessing and maintaining electronic systems and related interconnects, including cables, cable assemblies, and connectors. But this is also true in many other applications. Environmental conditions can prevent human technicians from accessing components for repair or replacement, even when they are actually close at hand. Radiation, vacuum, pressure, and extreme low or high temperatures are examples of factors that prevent easy access and maintenance. Operating conditions must be taken into account when designing such applications.
HOW NUCLEAR OPERATING CONDITIONS INFLUENCE THE DESIGN OF INTERCONNECTS The nuclear environment is a good illustration of the severe operating conditions to which interconnects can be subjected. The presence of radiation, vacuum environments, and extreme temperatures challenge the life span and performance of interconnect solutions and insulation materials with obvious limitations on
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS CAN PREVENT HUMAN TECHNICIANS
FROM ACCESSING COMPONENTS FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE ACTUALLY CLOSE AT HAND
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