Samtec has expanded its ultra micro mPOWER connector family with new through-hole PCB termination options aimed at applications where mechanical robustness is just as important as compact size. The addition applies to the company’s vertical board connectors, including the UMPS and UMPT series, as well as the UMPT-RA right-angle variants, and targets industrial, aerospace, and military systems exposed to vibration, shock, and cable strain.
mPOWER is a compact power interconnect system designed for high-current board-level power delivery in space-constrained equipment. mPOWER covers board-to-board, wire-to-board, and wire-to-wire layouts, giving engineers a small-format option for moving power between PCBs, cable assemblies, and modular sections of equipment. It’s the kind of connector family that fits where board space is tight, but the current requirement is still too high for a lighter-duty interconnect.
Surface-mount versions still make sense in many compact designs, but through-hole pins give the connector more physical support from the PCB itself. That extra retention is useful in equipment that sees vibration, regular mating cycles, or cable movement during installation and service.
Through-Hole Termination for Rugged Systems
The new through-hole versions of the mPOWER family are intended to address those harsher operating conditions directly. In industrial control hardware, defense electronics, and aerospace equipment, connectors are often exposed to continuous vibration, thermal cycling, and mechanical loading that can place stress on solder joints over time. Through-hole mounting helps distribute those forces mechanically through the PCB rather than relying entirely on SMT pad adhesion. In practice, that can improve resistance to connector peel forces and reduce the likelihood of solder fatigue in systems where cables or daughtercards experience movement during operation. The addition does not replace the existing surface-mount versions of mPOWER. Instead, it broadens the integration options available to designers depending on the environmental and mechanical requirements of the application.
Compact Power Delivery in Dense Designs
Samtec positions the mPOWER platform around power density and compact integration. The connector system is designed to reduce board space usage compared to conventional power connectors while still supporting relatively high current handling capability. According to Samtec, the connectors support up to 18 A per power blade while occupying a smaller footprint than many traditional power interconnect systems. That combination becomes useful in compact embedded systems where available PCB edge space is limited but increasing power requirements still need to be routed between boards or subsystems. The connector family supports stack heights from 5 mm to 20 mm and is available in vertical and right-angle configurations. Designers can select between 2 and 10 power positions depending on system requirements.
Cable And System Configuration Flexibility
The mPOWER ecosystem also includes cable assembly options using either PVC or Teflon fluoropolymer insulation across multiple wire gauges. This allows the same connector family to support different thermal, flexibility, and environmental requirements depending on the target system. In many embedded power systems, the connector sits between power distribution stages, control boards, backplanes, or modular subsystems where both current delivery and mechanical stability are important. Compact robotics, industrial automation hardware, rugged edge computing systems, and military electronics are all typical environments where connector size and retention strength can become competing design constraints.
Samtec is also continuing its broader push toward design-support tooling around the connector family, including downloadable models, test reports, and mechanical resources intended to simplify PCB integration and validation during development.
Learn more and read the original announcement at www.samtec.com
Technology Overview
Samtec’s mPOWER family is an ultra micro power connector system designed for board-to-board, wire-to-board, and wire-to-wire interconnect applications. The connectors support up to 18 A per power blade and are available in vertical and right-angle configurations with stack heights ranging from 5 mm to 20 mm. New through-hole termination variants are intended for applications requiring improved mechanical retention and vibration resistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What applications are Samtec mPOWER connectors designed for?
The connector family targets industrial, military, aerospace, and embedded electronic systems that require compact high-current interconnects with strong mechanical reliability.
What current rating does the mPOWER connector system support?
Samtec states that the mPOWER connectors can support up to 18 A per power blade depending on configuration and application conditions.
Why would a designer choose through-hole termination instead of SMT?
Through-hole mounting can provide improved mechanical strength and connector retention in systems exposed to vibration, cable strain, or repeated mechanical stress.
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