Hermetically Sealed Connectors Hermetic Connectors

Hermetic connectors create a gas- and liquid-tight connection that is safe to use in sealed environments from aerospace to automotive to other critical oil & gas applications. As the leading hermetic connector manufacturer, we offer customizable hermetic feedthroughs and hermetically sealed connectors that allow power and signal to pass into sealed electronics enclosures and control systems. Douglas can design and manufacture hermetically sealed connectors that meet a wide range of industry standards. Contact our technical sales engineers with questions.

We use a non-hermetic commercially off-the-shelf (COTS) or customer-supplied connector and apply a proprietary process with epoxy to create a hermetic seal. The low-outgassing epoxy adds design flexibility to customize the mechanical interface of the connector housing, while also providing the flexibility to integrate virtually any electrical interface in the connector assembly.

Hermetic connectors can be used in both vacuum and positive pressure applications. In vacuum applications, the hermetic connector maintains the vacuum condition inside the chamber. The pressure is commonly measured as a leak rate. In other industries and applications, the environment dictates the requirement for a hermetic connector. Ensuring your connections remain gas- or liquid-tight throughout the life of a program is essential. Without a reliable hermetic seal, critical applications are vulnerable to moisture ingress, explosions, and other catastrophic failures. Our high-performance hermetic connectors provide the reliability, cost reduction, and ease of assembly that your operation requires. For over four decades, our technology has been implemented in various industries and applications, including military/defense, aerospace, space simulation, high radiation gloveboxes, x-ray systems, automotive, and other instrumentation and control systems. Our hermetic feedthrough connectors meet various primary and secondary explosion-proof ratings, including UL, FM, IECEx, CSA, and ATEX.

Epoxy offers a high degree of flexibility when integrating electrical connections into the connector assembly. We can integrate various connection types, including pins, sockets, terminals, wires, cables, in-line connector assemblies, flex circuits, optical fibers, and more. Customers benefit from encapsulating the termination to make a true hermetic seal, creating strain relief for wires, and simplifying the integration into OEM designs.

A circular hermetic connector is a specialized electrical connector designed to form a secure, impervious seal against moisture, gases, and contaminants. Also known as a hermetic circular connector, it ensures a complete barrier, making it essential for industries like aerospace and military. These connectors are available as custom hermetic connectors in a range of sizes and materials to meet specific application requirements. With liquid-tight sealing and a dependable hermetic sealer, these connectors provide reliable connections in even the most demanding and challenging environments.

Circular Connector Types

Common aerospace circular connectors include:

• MIL-DTL-38999
• MIL-DTL-26482
• MIL-DTL-5015

Common industrial circular connectors include:

• Metric: M8, M12, M23
• Push-pull connectors

Hermetic Rectangular connectors differ from standard connectors, such as circular connectors based on their shape. Rectangular connectors produce a linear platform with various pin counts and sizes, providing a wide range of options to meet various application needs. Hermetic rectangular connectors are traditionally installed with two threaded screws to mate between the plug and receptacle; on the other hand, circular connectors are commonly threaded together to create the interconnect. A hermetic seal can be added to a rectangular connector through backpotting or by manufacturing a hermetic rectangular connector feedthrough.

Rectangular connector types

• D-sub
• Micro-D
• Nano-D