VITA 60 provides an alternative connector to support VPX systems

Amphenol Backplane Systems developed the Viper interconnect system to support VPX technologies, and specifically the VITA 60 open standard: Alternative Connector for VPX. Extensive customer interviews were conducted to determine the design needs of programs on avionics platforms. These interviews reinforced the need for ruggedization in the next generation of military packaging alternatives that can scale to higher bandwidths.

Offering an alternative

VITA 60 was launched to define a new interconnect consistent with the requirements of VITA 46 (VPX). VITA 60 offers an option for VPX applications where greater resistance to environmental conditions is needed (Table 1).

VITA 60 offers a connector that is an intermountable alternative to the VITA 46 connector. This intermountable technology leverages the benefits of established VPX PWB configurations and the industry’s broad offerings of high-speed card products. This approach also leverages the modularity of the connector for many custom configurations as well as the standard 3U and 6U formats for both top side and Rear Transition Module (RTM) formats.

The VITA 60 connector provides highly reliable tuning fork and blade contact technology. This interconnect system utilizes four points of contact that minimize mating forces while using the multiple contact points to provide maximum reliability.

The module uses overmolded wafer technology to completely seal the four types of wafers from environmental conditions. The four types of wafers used support Differential A and B, single ended, and power connections. The wafers are held in a metal shell and aligned using stainless steel stiffeners. This rugged technology offers the rigidity needed to meet the mechanical requirements for use in mission-critical embedded systems applications.

VITA 60 meets all of the same electrical requirements of VITA 46, and supports data rates up to 10 Gbps, with differential impedance of 100 ohms. Differential insertion loss is less than -0.5 dB at 5 GHz (10 Gbps). Far end crosstalk is -35 dB up to 8 GHz, and near end is -33 dB up to 8 GHz. Signal contacts are rated at 1 amp, and the power wafer is rated at 10 amps at +30 °C temperature rise.

VITA 60 standard is on its way

As the need for high-speed, rugged VPX applications continues to grow in military and aerospace platforms, the VIPER VITA 60 connector will continue to meet the performance demands of increased resistance to high vibration and environmental conditions. Electrical, mechanical, and environmental testing has been completed and data are available.

The VITA 60 committee has completed their work, and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ratification was received February 15, 2012.

Harry Cook is an Engineering Manager at Amphenol Backplane Systems and has worked for more than 33 years in designing packaging technologies for the military/aerospace industry. He can be contacted at [email protected].