Definitions of related terminal block terminology and RIA product lines.
SPRINGCON - Terminal blocks which employ spring clamp technology IDCON - Terminal blocks which employ IDC Technology
RIACON - Terminal blocks which employ screw type technology
PLUGCON - Headers designed to mate with SPRINGCON & RIACON
TUBECON - Tubular screw type terminal blocks. (Wire in- Wire out)
Spring Clamp (Cage Clamp) - Termination by means of a spring "clamping" the conductor within the terminal block.
Header - A series of pins, usually fixed to a PCB, and accepting either a RIACON or SPRINCON series product. Headers can be partially shrouded, full shrouded, or not shrouded at all.
Shrouded header - A header which has pins enclosed by a plastic barrier on all four sides.
Closed-end header - See Shrouded header.
Open-end header - A header which is shrouded along its entire length, with the opposing ends exposed or open.
Solderable - A part which is affixed to a PCB through the process of soldering. One piece Design- see solderable.
Pluggable - Any terminal block which plugs into a header, constituting a two piece design.
Two piece design - See pluggable.
Horizontal wire entry - Describes a terminal block which accepts a conductor parallel to the board on which it is mounted or plugged into.
Vertical wire entry - Describes a terminal block which accepts a conductor perpendicular to the board on which it is mounted or plugged into.
Diagonal wire entry - Describes a terminal block which accepts a conductor at some angle other then horizontal or vertical. For example, 45 degrees.
Wire protector - A flat malleable piece of metal, usually nickel plated, which resides on the top side of the wire entry. It is used to protect the conductor in a screw-type terminal block.
Rising Wire Protector - A more advanced termination technique whereby the wire protector rises in tandem with the terminal screw. This style is better suited for multiple cycle insertions.
Lift system - The most elaborate of the three screw type terminations, this technique has the contact pin integrated into the terminal body. The base of the terminal body moves upward when the screw is turned in, hence lifting the conductor, and clamping it along the top side of the wire entry.
Modular - A term used to describe the Modular design of completed assembly. Modular terminal blocks are constructed by adding modules of like kind side by side, and then adjoining them together via a press or sliding motion.
PCB - Stands for Printed Circuit Board
THR - Stands for Thru-hole reflow. A thru-hole part which is soldered to a PCB via a reflow soldering process.
Reflow soldering - A process in which components are soldered to the surface of a PCB by passing the assembly though a high temperature oven. The heat source within the oven melts the solder paste present in the PCB holes, and forms a bond upon cooling.
Paste & Hole - Another term used to describe a reflow solder process.
Wave Soldering - A process in which molten solder is applied to the underside of the PCB, via a solder bath, in order to bond thru-hole components which reside on the top-side of the PCB.
Solder Bath - A pool of molten solder which is spewed in an upward arcing motion so as to reach and bond the leads of thru-hole components to a PCB.
SMD - Stands for surface mount device. A part which is soldered to the surface of a PCB, via reflow soldering.
Tape on reel - Typical method of packaging parts used in SMT applications. The parts reside within a "tape", also known as a carrier, and wound on a "reel". This allows for fast delivery into the pick and place equipment.
Pick and Place - A term used to describe the action of picking components from the tape and reel, and placing them in their respective positions on the surface of a PCB.
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