90° Contacts: A Critical Point That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked
In harsh environments, connectors are exposed to contamination risks: particles, humidity, conformal coating residues… These pollutants can settle on the bent contacts of right-angle board connectors (V-type contacts), leading to short circuits or performance degradation. Such failures are especially critical in embedded applications across defense, aerospace, and space sectors.
Backpotting: A Targeted Solution to Field Constraints
To address these challenges, Nicomatic offers several backpotting options for its CMM range, designed to improve the reliability of your interconnections, whether board-mounted or cabled.
Backpotting involves applying a resin to the contact area in order to:
- Protect contacts from residues or conformal coating
- Prevent capillary rise, often a source of short circuits or overheating
- Reinforce mechanical robustness, especially in cabled versions, by improving wire retention and overall contact stability
Three Configurations Available to Meet Your Needs
1. CMM BPL for Board-Mounted Connectors (90° Contacts)
A protective resin is applied directly at the factory on connectors with right-angle (V-type) contacts. This option is indicated in the part number with the suffix –BPL.
It effectively shields the contacts from dust, debris, and other contaminants, reducing the risk of short circuits or degraded performance.
2. Pre-Cabled CMM with Backpotting Shape
For pre-cabled connectors, Nicomatic offers a backpotting shape. This improves cable retention, prevents accidental pull-outs, and provides enhanced mechanical protection. Pre-cabled versions with backpotting are available, or you can apply the final potting yourself, depending on your production constraints or preferences.
Note: Unlike the DMM and EMM series, which are designed with potting compatibility in mind, CMM connectors require a specific back potting option (except for CMM320 and CMM340 models, which include an integrated shape as part of the connector body).
3. CMM BP for Conformally Coated Boards
In applications where boards are coated (tropicalization), another option is available using the –BP suffix in the part number. Here, a resin is applied only at the bottom of the contact cavities to partially seal them without covering the entire contact.
This prevents the conformal coating from wicking up into the active contact area, avoiding conductive bridges, overheating, or performance loss.
Why Choose Nicomatic’s Backpotting Options?
- Protection against contamination and short circuits
- Lower risk of in-field failure
- Compatible with conformal coating processes
- Improved cable retention and mechanical durability in cabled versions
- Customization upon order to fit your specific configuration
Need a Sample or Mock-up?
Drawings, photos, or prototypes can be provided upon request to illustrate the different configurations. Our technical team is available to help you choose the most suitable option for your application.