RF coaxial connector, that is, RF connector, is a kind of element installed on cable or instrument. As an electrically connected or separated element of transmission line, RF connector usually works at radio frequency within Megahertz range. RF connectors have always been a very popular and competitive subdivision category in the connector market. RF coaxial connectors, RF coaxial cable assemblies and RF cables are widely used in communication, military affairs, aerospace and other fields.
Continuous upgrading of subdivided RF connectors
There are many sub-categories under RF connectors. These different categories have one thing in common, that is, they are compatible with other RF/microwave components, so they can be used to interconnect with coaxial modules in the system while maintaining the coaxial characteristics of the corresponding transmission lines. According to different connection structures, RF connectors have threaded connection type, bayonet type, push-in type, self-locking type and slide-in type, and can also be classified according to connector size, from standard small to micro.
SMA in threaded connection is a very representative kind of RF connector, which belongs to the category of ultra-small RF connector. For RF connectors, the smaller the size, the more difficult it is to manufacture, while the cost increases rapidly, and is very sensitive to precision as well as error. The process and materials of SMA RF connectors are very important, and their upgrading is also closely related to the process and materials. In order to achieve the electrical performance of SMA connectors above 12.4 GHz, the selection of materials reflects the technical strength of various manufacturers. The major manufacturers in the first echelon of the mainstream constantly upgrade and change their materials to adapt to different use environments, while maintaining their electrical performance. Stainless steel materials, brass or zinc die castings, and some manufacturers can also provide corrosion-resistant non-magnetic white bronze coatings.
SMP RF connectors are widely used in phased array radar, aerospace and communication fields, and are ultra-small categories with the same proportion as MMCX connectors. Connectors in these application fields attach great importance to their mechanical properties, such as vibration resistance and impact resistance. Every upgrade of SMP RF connection can see the innovation in its ability to withstand mechanical shock and vibration. On the other hand, SMP RF connectors are also at the forefront in modular design. Nowadays, modular SMP RF connectors can be seen in almost all high-density blind plug-in applications.
In the field of civil communication, the upgrade of RF connectors mainly focuses on miniaturization and low cost, while the upgrade of RF connectors in high-end application fields focuses on miniaturization and high frequency. These upgrades promote that RF coaxial connectors not only play the role of signal connection, but also have the functions of signal processing, such as filtering, phase modulation, mixing and so on.
At present, miniaturization has become the main development trend of RF connectors, whether in the civil communication market or in the high-end application market. BNC RF connectors, for example, the traditional standard BNC RF connectors can solve a lot of RF connectivity problems, but the growing demand for RF connectors is still expected to have a smaller size and higher density. The upgrade from BNC to Mini BNC is the epitome of the miniaturization development of RF connectors. With the further reduction of size, the connector density also increases, and the miniaturization upgrade of Mini BNC improves the interconnection performance in the same area by more than 40% compared with BNC.
Overview of RF Connector Market
In recent years, the global connector productivity has been continuously transferred to China, and China has now become the main market of global connectors, and the domestic market capacity of RF connectors is very large. According to the data, the global market size of RF coaxial connectors in 2022 is 27.999 billion yuan, of which the domestic market capacity of RF coaxial connectors is 7.966 billion yuan. According to the development situation of the global RF coaxial connector market from 2018 to 2022 and the change trend of various data indicators, it is estimated that the global RF coaxial connector market will grow at an average growth rate of 4.7% and reach 36.871 billion yuan in 2028. According to the Information Center of China Electronic Components Industry Association, affected by the development of 5G, the global RF connector market is expected to reach 6.01 billion US dollars in 2025, and the expected value is even higher.
At present, foreign manufacturers include TE, Amphenol, Rosenberger, Huber + Suhner, CommScope, JAE, Radiall and Hirose, which occupy most of the global market share. The first echelon made in China includes ELECTRIC CONNECTOR, FUJITEC, JONHON OPTRONIC, HUADA AUTOMOTIVE, WUTONG Holdings, etc.
Among them, Amphenol, Rosenberger and TE are undoubtedly the three leading RF connector manufacturers among foreign manufacturers, with complete product lines and rich categories, covering various applications from communication equipment, consumer electronics to aerospace, etc. Their products are also developing well in the two technical directions of miniaturization and high frequency. Domestic manufacturers in the miniaturization of the development of very good, high-frequency technology direction of breakthroughs but will be limited to certain applications, such as HDMI field, in avionics, radar, 5G and other high-end applications of high-frequency breakthroughs are still slightly behind the international manufacturers, but in the development of the convergence of the industry's technology, the gap is also gradually narrowing.
Domestic RF connectors in recent years has made great progress and development, although the cost of the end cannot compete with the international front of the manufacturers, still has a thin profit margin, but the cost of the problem requires a long time to accumulate technology and long-term investment in research and development, cannot be rushed. Domestic enterprises are constantly trying new things. By designing new structures, optimizing new processes and using new materials, they can narrow the gap with international industry leaders from the source as much as possible.
Technology upgrade leads the market trend, and the trend of miniaturization of RF connectors is gradually obvious-China exportsemi.com
