FCI Announces 2pr-6pr ExaMAX® Family of 25-40 Gb/s Backplane Connectors
SINGAPORE (January 30, 2014) — FCI, a leading manufacturer of connectors and
interconnect systems, announces the ExaMAX® high speed backplane connector family.
The ExaMAX® suite has been expanded to accommodate multiple mechanical
packaging configurations including traditional mother-daughter board, orthogonal,
coplanar, mezzanine, and high speed I/O cabling.
ExaMAX® high speed connectors are designed to deliver superior 25 Gb/s electrical
performance while offering a migration path to 40 Gb/s. System architects will benefit
from faster time to market and lower hardware development costs with its scalability.
ExaMAX® high speed backplane connectors also feature a revolutionary beam-on-beam
contact interface. They minimize the residual stub for improved signal integrity
performance, compared to typical blade-on-beam contact structures and provide
exceptionally low mating force while maintaining excellent contact normal force.
Protected hermaphroditic mating interfaces for both backplane and daughter card
connectors also eliminate the exposed header pin field on the backplane, which can be
susceptible to damage.
Each signal wafer incorporates an innovative one-piece, embossed ground structure to
improve crosstalk performance. This simple, functional design contributes to a very costeffective
solution.
The ExaMAX® portfolio is available in 2 pair, 3 pair, 4 pair, and 6 pair versions with
various column counts.
The innovative ExaMAX® beam on beam “stubless” mating interface is now available in
a family of ExaMEZZ™ mezzanine packaging configurations. The 2 pair and 4 pair
versions are suitable for 1U packaging commonly found in servers and
telecommunication equipment.
FCI developed ExaMAX® cable connector components for both internal and external 25
Gb/s cables, enabling customers to connect subracks within, or between chassis up to 6
meters apart. A demonstration of this capability is also highlighted at FCI’s booth.
FCI will have live Signal Integrity demonstrators at DesignCon 2014 utilizing chips from a
variety of industry leading companies to show the capability of the ExaMAX® High
Speed Backplane and IO cabling system performance.
“We are excited to offer system designers and architects a wide variety of packaging
options with superior Signal Integrity performance in a scalable interconnect system.
FCI has reached this milestone very quickly.” says Richard Bahou, Portfolio Director for
High Speed Backplane and Mezzanine products at FCI Electronics.
“ExaMAX® and ExaMEZZ™ connectors will enable our customers to build equipment
that is fully compliant with the OIF-25G-LR specification over a backplane channel of
0.686 meters (27″) in total length. Demonstrations at FCI’s booth 403 will also be running
IEEE 802.3bj channels 1 meter (39″) in length.”
DesignCon 2014 will be held in Santa Clara from January 28 to 31. For more information
about FCI products and demos at DesignCon 2014, please visit
events.fci.com/designcon or contact us at communications@fci.com.
About FCI Electronics
With 6,500 employees globally and sales of 555M USD in 2012, FCI Electronics is a leading
global manufacturer of interconnects and cable assemblies that combines a broad product
offering with field engineering resources to meet specific customer needs. FCI Electronics
delivers proven connections and innovative solutions for various markets such as datacom,
telecom, consumer, industrial, instrumentation, medical and renewable energy.
FCI Electronics’ full portfolio comprises proven legacy products and innovative new designs
including backplane connectors, board and wire systems, active optical cables, transceivers, fiber
optic adaptors, high-speed connectors, I/O connectors, mezzanine connectors, PCB terminal
blocks, flex connectors, power solutions, storage interfaces and custom cable assemblies. For
more information, please visit us at www.fci.com
