The DIN 41612 Vertical Female Type C Connector with 96 Positions is a high-density, female Eurocard receptacle designed for backplane and motherboard applications in industrial control, telecommunications, and embedded computing systems. This connector fully complies with the DIN 41612 / IEC 60603-2 standard, which defines the mechanical and electrical specifications for two-part connectors used in 19-inch Eurocard racking systems and backplane architectures. The "Type C" designation indicates a specific configuration within the DIN 41612 family: 3 rows of contacts (rows a, b, and c) with a standard 2.54mm (0.100") pitch between contacts. As a Female (Receptacle/Socket) connector, this component features female contacts that receive the male pins from a corresponding plug connector mounted on the opposite PCB or daughter card. The Vertical (Straight/180°) orientation means the connector is mounted perpendicular to the PCB surface, with the mating interface facing upward, making it ideal for backplane applications where daughter cards are inserted vertically into a chassis.
The Type C female connector features a 96-position contact arrangement with 32 contacts per row across three rows (a, b, and c), providing 96 signal lines per connector. This configuration is fully loaded with no empty positions, maximizing signal density for applications requiring extensive parallel buses, such as 32-bit data buses plus control and address lines. The 2.54mm (0.100") pitch is an industry-standard spacing inherited from legacy Eurocard systems, ensuring broad compatibility with existing backplane designs and mating connectors. The vertical orientation positions the female contacts to accept male pins from a corresponding Type C male plug inserted from above. The female contacts are typically tuning fork or blade-style receptacles, designed to provide reliable, low-resistance contact with the male pins while accommodating multiple insertion and extraction cycles. The connector housing is molded from high-temperature thermoplastic (typically PBT or polyester) with glass fiber reinforcement, rated UL94 V-0 for flame retardancy, providing excellent mechanical strength, dimensional stability, and heat resistance during wave soldering or reflow processes. The connector also features polarization and coding options to prevent incorrect mating, including the ability to insert coding keys into specific locations on the connector housing.
The DIN 41612 Vertical Female Type C 96-Position connector delivers robust electrical performance suitable for demanding industrial and telecommunications applications. Electrical characteristics typically include a current rating of 2.0 Amps per contact (with all contacts simultaneously energized), a test voltage rating of 1000V AC for one minute, a contact resistance of 20mΩ maximum, and an insulation resistance of 1000MΩ minimum at 100V DC. The operating temperature range spans from -55°C to +125°C, ensuring reliable performance in harsh industrial environments, outdoor telecom cabinets, and automotive applications. The female contacts are fabricated from copper alloy (typically phosphor bronze) with gold plating over a nickel underplating on the mating area, providing low contact resistance, corrosion resistance, and durability through 400 mating cycles (typical). The termination area (solder pins) is typically tin-plated for optimal solderability during wave soldering or reflow processes. The connector is typically rated Class 2 (Performance Level 2) per DIN 41612 specifications, supporting 400 or more mating cycles with stable contact resistance. Some manufacturers offer enhanced versions for higher mating cycle requirements.
The DIN 41612 Vertical Female Type C 96-Position connector is widely deployed in applications requiring high-density, reliable backplane interconnects with a standard 96-pin Eurocard footprint. Primary application areas include industrial control systems (PLC backplanes, I/O modules, industrial computers), telecommunications equipment (central office switches, base station controllers, transmission backplanes), data communications (routers, switches, patch panels), test and measurement instruments, medical electronics (imaging systems, patient monitors), military and aerospace electronics, railway and transportation systems (with NFF 16-101 railway approval available on certain variants), and embedded computing platforms such as VMEbus, CompactPCI, VXI, and other Eurocard-based architectures. Major manufacturers of this connector type include HARTING (DIN-Signal C series, part numbers 09032967825, 09032966411, 09032966850), ERNI (284991-E series), TE Connectivity / AMP (925486-1 housing, 5650473-5, 5650913-5 series), Amphenol ICC (8609 series), 3M (DIN 41612 series), and RS Pro. In summary, the DIN 41612 Vertical Female Type C 96-Position connector is a robust, industry-standard interconnect solution that combines DIN 41612 compliance with Type C 3-row, 96-pin density and vertical orientation. Its wide temperature range, high current capacity, proven reliability, and broad manufacturer support make it an ideal choice for backplane and motherboard applications requiring standardized Eurocard connectors in industrial, telecom, and embedded systems.
