Manufacturers of RF connectors pursue greater reliability, miniaturization

Acquiring more national and overseas product approval and releasing more space-saving designs make up the trends in the RF connectors line.

Makers of RF connectors in China have on their agenda higher product reliability based on industry parameters, and greater miniaturization compliant with trends in key markets. Most will continue to secure more certification for compliance with local and international standards, including IEC 61169 and GBT 11313. This is while the requirement for smaller components in the communications, automotive, military and aviation fields will attract more companies to the microminiature category.

Suppliers such as Jiangsu Xixia focus on enhancing water resistance to ensure environments will not affect long-term connector performance. The company has introduced an IP67-rated model with a patented structure and three sealing rings. Water-resistant types are expected to be rolled out in years to come.

Miniaturization in major applications, meanwhile, will increase the number of manufacturers of SSMA, SSMB and MMCX kinds, as well as of I-Pex-compatible variants. The last has been seeing a steady release such as Shenzhen HOAUC's model that is 0.56mm in height and 1.4mm in diameter. The product with gold-plated copper contacts supports frequencies of up to 6GHz.

The production of board-to-board connectors, which have become popular for their space-saving form, is expected to continue drawing the attention of many companies as well. Outside individual product initiatives, there are companies such as Kingsignal and Forstar that participate in the formulation of international guidelines for the line. This, in turn, will help standardize the local industry.

As 4G deployment progresses and 5G development takes shape, China manufacturers are upbeat about the line, confident of maintaining growth within 5 and 10 percent. The majority will keep boosting output in anticipation of healthy demand. Jiangsu Dongyuan Electronics Technology Co. Ltd, which is devoted entirely to RF connectors production, has been raising volume by 15 percent. It will keep this rate of increase this year and 2018.

As projected by the China Electronic Component Association, the local industry for RF connectors will have a total sales value of $1.7 billion in 2018 and rise to $2.02 billion in 2020.

China is the world's manufacturing hub forthe category and will remain in the lead as shipments to export markets will continue to climb between 5 and 10 percent.

More than 600 companies are responsible for this. Most are locally owned operations, but only fewer than 100 have aggregate sales value of over $7 million. The major players include Shaanxi Huada and Jonhon.

RF connectors represent a shipment portion starting at 40 percent. Some suppliers are also engaged in the production of RF cables and other interconnects types.

Zhenjiang and Xi'an respectively in Jiangsu and Shaanxi provinces each play host to more than 100 makers. There is also a large concentration in Shenzhen and Dongguan in the province of Guangdong.