Trend Insight
Micro-D Connectors Meet Buy American Act
TE’s MICRODOT (Micro-D) electronic connectors comply with U.S. federal regulations and provide time-tested reliability and product innovation to deliver high-caliber performance in mission-critical applications.
TE’s Micro-D electronic connectors comply with national regulations and provide time-tested reliability and product innovation to deliver high-caliber performance in mission-critical applications.
Why Choose TE Connectivity’s Micro-D Electronic Connectors
The commercial, defense, and aerospace industries rely on TE’s MICRODOT electronic connectors to support mission-critical objectives. By emphasizing compliance with national regulations, a broad portfolio of products, and time-tested reliability, our Micro-D connectors remain a top choice for customers looking to maximize space and weight savings.
Compliance with the Buy American Act
The Buy American Act requires federal agencies to source materials and products domestically whenever available. To remain in compliance with this Act and support government contracts, TE has expanded our global footprint with a new, U.S.-based production line for Micro-D connectors.
By upscaling capacity through an additional production line in our factory on American soil, we can offer greater support to U.S. government customers who rely on the durability and performance of TE products. TE continues to manufacture products at facilities in Mexico and India, reinforcing our global manufacturing network.
Expanded Micro-D Connector Product Portfolio
To support the diverse needs of our customers and reinforce our product portfolio, we’ve launched three new MICRODOT connectors built to meet MIL-SPEC-83513 requirements.
• 51-Position, 2-Row Micro-D Connector: This provides a compact solution for low-profile applications by condensing the standard three-row width to two rows.
• 69-Position Micro-D Connector: Standard MIL-SPEC connectors come in 51-position and 100-position configurations. With a 69-position option, the Micro-D provides a midpoint for large-position sizes.
• Integrated Backshell Micro-D Connector: TE has designed a backshell for braid termination that is built directly into the Micro-D connector shell. This reduces component count, cost, weight, and footprint compared to the standard connector and backshell pairing. The integrated backshell with Micro-D is available in various standard MIL-SPEC position sizes.
These product extensions deliver more custom solutions and applications where defense and aerospace customers need them most.
Reliable, Custom Configurations
TE’s MICRODOT connectors have provided reliability for MIL-SPEC-83513 for more than 20 years. In that time, we have been able to offer customers increased custom configurations within the brand. The Micro-D connectors also have integration capabilities with technology from other TE product lines, such as fiber-optic and radio frequency (RF) interconnects, making them versatile products to use across applications and industries.
TE continues to advance connector technology while offering a wide breadth of products and pricing agreements.
Micro-D Connector Innovations Backed by Customer Success
“One thing I appreciate about TE is the wide availability of products with high quality at reasonable cost.”
– Large Defense OEM in U.S.
The Future of TE Micro-D Connectors
While continuing to enhance Micro-D connectors, TE aims to stay on top of emerging trends in connector technology.
• Smaller form factors: The size of form factors will continue to decrease to meet industry needs. While the Micro-D is three times smaller than the standard D-shaped connector , TE’s NANONICS connector products are another three times smaller.
• Integrations: Enhanced technology integrations, including adding high-speed data transmission, RF, and fiber optics into Micro-D connectors, will likely be the next evolution of the product.
• 3D printing: 3D-printed inserts will become more common, allowing for customization and greater speed to market for specialized applications.
TE Connectivity’s MICRODOT connectors have earned the trust of customers through product innovation, reliability, and compliance with the Buy American Act. Space-saving designs, custom configurations, and expanding U.S. manufacturing allow TE to deliver high-caliber performance in mission-critical applications and to meet the evolving connectivity needs of commercial, defense, and aerospace industries.
Key Takeaways
• Through expanded U.S.-based production, TE’s MICRODOT connectors comply with federal regulations for government contractors, including the Buy American Act.
• TE launched three new Micro-D products: 51-position, 2-row connectors, 69-position connectors, and integrated backshell Micro-D connectors.
• MICRODOT connectors offer reliability for MIL-SPEC-83513 standards, with increased custom configurations and integration capabilities with other TE product lines.
• The future of Micro-D connectors involves smaller form factors, enhanced technology integrations, 3D-printed inserts, and advanced materials to meet evolving industry needs.
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