Overcoming Miniaturized Routing Challenges with Solderless Terminations

The electro-mechanical method used to attach an RF connector to a coaxial cable is called the “cable termination.” Cable termination methods have evolved over the years to improve assembly performance in demanding applications. Military, space, telecommunications, and test and measurement industries design system upgrades to meet market needs and advancements in technologies. These advancements typically require higher bandwidth or higher frequency transmission which translates into a smaller system footprint. In some cases, the system’s footprint is reduced to make room to add additional technologies to further enhance system performance, but these evolving system enhancements pose new challenges for coaxial cable assembly terminations.

Flexible coaxial cable terminations must adapt to evolving system designs where form and fit are reduced while function is greatly expanded. New, innovative coaxial products are emerging to address these increasingly rigorous requirements. This paper examines the limitations of using traditional style terminations in high density, small form factor applications, and the technological advancements that enable flexible cable assemblies to be installed in these very tight spaces.