Deep Analysis of Samtec Rectangular Harness Domestic Substitution Solution

Against the backdrop of the rapid development of high-speed computing, 5G communication, industrial intelligence, and data center clusters, high-speed, miniaturized, and high-reliability interconnection solutions have become an industry necessity. Rectangular cable harnesses (rectangular cable assemblies) benefit from their stable structure, support for high-density layouts, and ease of customization, making them an important foundation for high-performance interconnection systems. As a global leader in high-speed interconnects, Samtec Inc. boasts outstanding technical advantages in rectangular cable harnesses, particularly in high-speed and miniaturized applications. This article will deeply analyze the characteristics of Samtec's rectangular cable harnesses from multiple dimensions such as high-speed transmission capability, miniaturized structure, and high-reliability design, and further provide selection recommendations and domestic alternative solutions.

One, technical advantages of Samtec rectangular cable assemblies in the high-speed and miniaturization fields
Samtec has been focusing on high-speed interconnect technology for a long time, and its rectangular cable assemblies are widely used in server, high-speed storage, AI computing, industrial robots, and communication equipment fields.
High-speed signal transmission capability
Samtec's high-speed rectangular cable sets have excellent signal integrity. Its Flyover technology allows high-speed differential signals to no longer be limited by the losses of traditional PCBs, migrating to high-performance Twinax twisted pairs, achieving high-speed transmission capabilities of up to tens of Gbps. Suitable for applications such as PCIe Gen4/Gen5, 25G/56G SerDes, Ethernet, and high-speed backplane interconnects.
Ultimate miniaturization and high-density design
Samtec has a rich portfolio of micro spacing connectors, some rectangular cables can adopt even smaller spacing structures such as 0.40 mm and 0.50 mm, still enabling a large number of signal interconnections in compact spaces, making it very suitable for ultra-thin devices, high-density PCBs, edge devices, and portable industrial terminals.
  Stability and structural reliability
Samtec offers a variety of rectangular cable harnesses with high-performance terminal structures, such as the Tiger Eye series three-finger terminals, which can provide extremely high contact retention force, achieving stable, shock-resistant, and durable performance. In industrial applications, Samtec provides cable assemblies that have passed environmental tests (temperature, humidity, vibration, etc.), enhancing the system's adaptability to harsh working conditions.
Flexible Customization Ability

Samtec supports various cable types (Twinax, coaxial, power cables, multi-core twisted pairs, etc.), allowing customers to flexibly configure according to bandwidth, impedance, cable length, and interface methods, suitable for high-speed, power transmission, or mixed signal interconnect designs.

The core value of rectangular fiber optic bundles in high-speed and miniaturized applications
The rectangular cable束 is widely adopted because its structural characteristics can meet the dual needs of modern electronic systems for high performance and high density at the same time.
Support higher bandwidth
Traditional high-speed channels on PCBs are limited by glass fiber medium loss. Using rectangular bundles can transfer key signals to precision cables with lower loss, significantly reducing insertion loss and crosstalk, and improving the overall system SI (signal integrity) performance.
Enhance space utilization
The rectangular cable bundle structure is compact, allowing for the stacking of multiple signal paths within a limited space, achieving high-density interconnection, and is particularly suitable for scenarios where there is limited internal space in devices, such as server blade servers, AI acceleration cards, drones, battery management systems, and so on.
Highly flexible layout
Compared to PCB fixed wiring, rectangular cable harnesses can adjust the routing path according to the structure, bypass the component stacking areas, and enhance the overall design flexibility.
Reduce EMC difficulty

The use of cables with high shielding performance can reduce electromagnetic radiation of high-speed signals and improve the overall anti-interference ability of the system.

Three, selection and compatibility as well as domestic alternative solutions reference and suggestions
1. Rectangular cable assembly selection recommendations
Select the appropriate cable category based on the rate, such as prioritizing Twinax structure for high-speed applications.
Determine the power and signal mixing requirements, and select a rectangular interface with mixed terminals or different spacing combinations.
  Choose the 0.40 mm or 0.50 mm micro pitch series if space is tight.
  In industrial environments, it is advisable to choose a structure with anti-vibration, high durability for plugging and unplugging, and high temperature resistance.
For designs with extremely high signal integrity requirements, optimization can be combined with Samtec's SI engineering services.
2. Compatibility Solution Recommendations
In some non-high-speed applications, standard IDC rectangular cable assemblies can be used with Samtec connectors to achieve cost optimization.
 For scenarios requiring structural compatibility, rectangular connectors with the same center distance and similar terminal structure as Samtec can be chosen as a matching solution.
  If the system contains both board-to-board interconnections and high-speed cable channels, Samtec's board-to-board series and rectangular cable series can be mixed to improve overall interconnect flexibility.
3. Domestic alternative solutions recommendation
• Domestic high-speed interconnection manufacturers have experienced rapid growth in recent years. The following suggestions can be referred to for the direction of domestic substitution:
• Pay attention to whether the domestic high-speed Twinax cable meets the high-speed specifications similar to Samtec.
• For micro-pitch structures, the stability, crimping quality, and long-term life of domestic terminals should be evaluated.
•  Conduct strict high-speed testing (insertion loss, return loss, time-domain testing, etc.) on domestic rectangular harnesses to ensure they can match the original factory performance.
Suggest establishing a joint development model with domestic manufacturers to create customized compatible interconnection solutions for specific projects, in order to reduce costs and shorten delivery times.

The analysis shows that Samtec's rectangular cable assemblies are favored by high-speed electronic systems not only because of their compact structure, high-speed transmission, and flexible wiring, but also due to their reliability and customizability that meet the development trend of high-performance interconnection in the future. In high-speed processing, high-density equipment, and miniaturized intelligent terminals, Samtec's rectangular cable assemblies can exert great performance advantages. At the same time, with the continuous maturation of the domestic connector industry chain, research on the domestic substitution of Samtec connectors and cable assemblies also has a broad development space.
We have been focusing on the domestic substitution research and development of this brand connector and the development of market application solutions for a long time. If you are interested in or have procurement needs for domestic substitution products related to Samtec, or are paying attention to the domestication of high-speed interconnection, welcome to contact: Manager Zhang.18665383950, WeChat number the sameLooking forward to in-depth communication and cooperation with more industry partners.