[No Value Specified]

	INTERCONNECTION GLOSSARY Download a printable version of the Interconnection Glossary. We'd like to hear from you! Email us with any additions, updates or changes  you would like to see made to the glossary. Select from the following:
Numbers & Misc.   |   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z

S

S	S interface
S/I	Signal-to-Inference Ratio
S/N	Signal-to-Noise Ratio
S/T	Also called the S/T Reference Point or S/T-interface
SA	Switched Access
SAA	Systems Application Architecture
SAC	Service Access Code
SACCH	Slow Associated Control Channel
SALT	Speech Application Language Tags
SALT Forum	Speech Application Language Tags Forum
SAM	Service Access Multiplexer
SAMA	Spread Aloha Multiple Access
SAMM	Service Access, Mediation, and Management
SAP	Service Access Point
SAR	Specific Absorption Rate; Segmentation and Reassembling
SAT	Set-up Audio Tone
SAT-CDMA	Satellite-based CDMA
SBC	Session Border Controller
SC	Signaling Converter; Switching Center
SCC	Specialized Common Carrier
SCCH	Signaling Common Channel
SCCP	Signaling Connection Control Part
SCCP	Skinny Client Control Protocol
SCE	Service Creation Environment
SCF	Service Control Function
SCH	Synchronization Channel
SCN	Switched Circuit Network
SCP	Service Control Point
SCR	Sustainable Cell Rate
SCSI	Small Computer System Interface
SCTE	Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers
SDARS	Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service
SDCCH	Slow Dedicated Control Channel
SDH	Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
SDK	Software Developers’ Kit
SDLC	Synchronous Data Link Control
SDMA	Space Division Mulitple Access
SDN	Software Defined Network
SDP	Session Definition/Description Protocol
SDR	Software Defined Radio
SDRF	Software Defined Radio Forum
SDU	Service Data Unit
SDSL	Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line
SDTV	Standard Definition Television
SECAM	Sequential Couleur avec Memoire
SEFT	Severely Errored Framing Second
SET	Secure Electronic Transaction
SF	Super Frame
SFHMA	Slow Frequency-Hopped Mulitple Access
SFS	Single-Frequency Signaling
SFTS	Single-Frequency and Time Signal
SG	Signaling Gateway; Supergroup
SGCP	Simple Gateway Control Protocol
SGML	Standard Generalized Markup Language
SGNT	Special Grade Network Trunked
SHDSL	See G.SHDSL
SHF	Super High Frequency
SI	International System of Units
SID	Silence Insertion Descriptor; Sudden Ionospheric Disturbance; System Identification for the Home
SIDH	System Identification for the Home System
SIGINT	Signal Intelligence
SGTRAN	Signaling Transport
SIM	Subscriber Identity Module
SIM Card	Subscriber Identity Module Care
SIMD	Single Instruction Multiple Data
SIMPLE	SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions
SIN	SIP/IN Internetworking
SIP	Session Initiation Protocol
SIP BCP-T	SIP Best Common Practice for Telephony
SIP+	Session Initiated Protocol+
SIPPING	Session Initiation Protocol Project Investigation
SIP-T	Session Initiation Protocol for Telephony
SLA	Service Level Agreement
SLC	Subscriber-Loop Carrier
SLEE	Service Logic Execution Environment
SLIP	Serial Line Internet Protocol
SMDR	Station Message Detail Recording
SMDS	Switched Mulitmegabit Data Service
SMFCB	Subcarrier Modulated Fibre-Coax Bus
SMG	Supermastergroup
SMII	Serial MII
SMON	Switch Monitor
SMP	Symmetric Multiprocessing
SMPE	Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
SMR	Specialized Mobile Radio
SMS	Short Message Service; Short Message Service Center
SMSC	Short Messaging Service
SMTP	Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SNA	System Network Architecture
SNMP	Simple Network Management Protocol
SNR	Signal-to-Noise Ratio
SO	Service Order; Switching Office
SOAP	Simple Object Access Protocol
SOH	Start of Header
SOHO	Small Office/Home Office
SONET	Synchronous Optical Network
SPARC	Sealable Processor Architecture
SPC	Stored Program Control
SPIRITS	Services in the PSTN/IN Requesting Internet Services
SQA	Software Quality Assurance
SQL	Structured Query Language
SR	Spread Rate
SRAM	Static RAM
SS	Spread Spectrum; Supervisory Signal
SS#7	Signaling System Number 7
SS7	Signal System 7
SSB	Single Sideband Radio
SSCOP	Service Specific Connection Oriented Protocol
SSD	Shared Secret Data
SSID	Service Set Identifier
SSP	Service Switching Point
Statmux	Statistical Multiplexing
STB	Set-Top Box
STD	Selective Transmit Diversity
STM	Synchronous Transfer Mode
STP	Shielding Twisted Pair
STS	Serving Translation Scheme; Shared Tenant Service; Synchronous Translations Scheme
STS-n	Synchronous Transport Signal-n
STX	Start Of Text
SU	Service User
S-UMTS	Satellite Universal Mobile Telephone System/Standards
SVC	Switched Virtual Circuit
SWC	Service Wire Center
SW-CDMA	Satellite-based Wideband CDMA
SW-CTDMA	Satellite Wideband hybrid CDMA/TDMA
SX	Simplex Signaling
SyncML	Synchronous Markup Language
SYSGEN	System Generation
SHV	Standard High Voltage; a quick connect/disconnect connector series with bayonet lock coupling. It operates safely up to 5,000 VAC and is the industry’s standard connector for high voltage use by the Atomic Energy Commission.
SPDT	Single-Pole, Double-Throw; a 3-contact switching arrangement that connects a circuit to one of two alternate connections.
SPST	Single-pole, single-throw, a two contact switching arrangement that opens or closes one circuit; the circuit may be normally open or normally closed.
Scattering	The change in direction of light rays or photons after striking a small particle or discontinuity.
Safetying	That feature of connector design that permits safety wiring of plug and/or receptacle to prevent the loosening of a plug from a receptacle.
Schematic Diagram	A drawing that shows by means of graphic symbols the electrical connections, components and functions of a specific circuit arrangement.
Schematic Orientation	A design concept that works well if the inputs can be located on one edge of the PC board and the outputs along the opposite edge.
Scoop Proof	Design feature whereby exposed contacts of a connector cannot be touched or damaged by any portion of the mating connector.
Screw-Machine Contact	A contact made by screw-machine operations.
Sealing Plug	A plug that is inserted to fill an unoccupied contact aperture in a connector insert. Its function is to seal, especially in environmental connectors.
Seamless Terminal or Splice	Terminal or splice conductor barrel made without an open seam.
Selective Plating	The application of plating material to a limited portion of a connector contact, especially those areas susceptible to wear.
Self-align	Design of two mating pairs so that they will engage in the proper relative position.
Self-tapping Connector	A pressure type connector that quickly joins two conductors for tap-offs. It uses a contact element that is pressed down, shearing the insulation and tightly gripping the conductors. The snap-over hinged cover, comprised of insulation housing, is then shut to complete the installation.
Separable Part	A replaceable part that is designed for removal without damaging adjacent parts.
Series Resistance	Any sum of resistance, installed in sequential order, within one circuit.
Serrations	Small grooves or indentations within a terminal wire barrel that increase the tensile strength and electrical conductivity of the crimped termination.
Service Connector	A parallel connection that joins conductors in which the contact between the conductors is obtained by means of mechanically applied pressure.
Service Rating	The maximum voltage or current that a connector is designed to carry continuously.
Sexless Connector	An interconnecting device in which the mating parts are exactly alike at their mating surfaces. (Also called hermaphroditic connector.)
Shank	Cylindrical or rod-like portion of a connector or contact.
Sheet Metal Contacts	Contacts made by stamping and bending sheet metal rather than by the machining of metal stock.
Shear Strength	The maximum shear stress a material is capable of sustaining. In testing, the shear stress is caused by a shear or torsion load and is based on the original specimen dimensions.
Shell	Outside case into which the insert and contacts are assembled. Shells of mating connector usually also provide proper alignment and protection of projecting contacts.
Shield	Device surrounding that portion of a connector that is used for attaching wires or cables to shield against electromagnetic interference, and/or protect connector wires or cable from mechanical damage.
Shielded-Type Cable	A cable in which each insulated conductor is enclosed in a conducting envelope, so constructed that substantially every point on the surface of the insulation is at ground potential with respect to ground under normal operating conditions.
Shielding	The metal sleeving surrounding one or more of the conductors in a wire circuit to prevent interference, interaction or current leakage.
Shielding Effectiveness (SE)	The reduction in field strength resulting from interposing a metallic barrier between a source and receptor of electromagnetic energy. In terms of connectors, contacts can be either the source or receptor of electromagnetic interference.
Shore Hardness	A procedure for determining the indentation hardness of a material by means of a durometer. Shore designation is given to tests made with a specified durometer instrument.
Short-Time Current Rating	The designated rms current that a connector can carry for a specified time under specified conditions.
Shorting Plug	See Dummy Connector, Plug.
Shorting Receptacle	A programmable switch that provides interconnect between adjacent wire-wrapped posts. It can be used in lieu of a bit switch for programming a backplane.
Shrink-Fit-Type Connector	A connector in which the contact between the conductor and the connector is made by a shrink-fit.
Shroud	Synonymous with insulation support.
Shunt	A device used to divert part of an electric current.
Shunt Wire	A conductor joining two parts of an electric circuit to divert part of the current.
Signal	An electrical impulse of a predetermined voltage, current, polarity and pulse width.
Signal Conductor	An individual conductor used to transmit an impressed signal.
Signal Level	The root mean square (rns) voltage measured during the peak of the RF signal.
Signal Plane	A conductor layer intended to carry signals, rather than serve as a ground or other fixed voltage function.
Silicon Carbide Reinforcement	A potential low-cost/high-performance filament suitable for advanced metal matrix applications.The SiC filament is produced in a manner similar to the boron filament using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) onto continuous substrates.
Silver (Ag)	A highly conductive metal, Atomic No. 47. When applied as terminal plating, it provides a hard-oxide, soft-base finish that requires only moderate pressure for a metal-to-metal contact. Silver plating is normally used on metals that are relatively good conductors, such as copper and brass.
Simplex	Transmission in only one direction. Generally a communications system or device capable of transmission in one direction only. (See Duplex.)
Single Cable	A one-cable system in broadband LANs in which a portion of the bandwidth is allocated for send signals, and a portion for receive signals, with a guard band in between to provide isolation from interference.
Single-Grip Terminal	Solderless terminal that allows a crimp to the wire only. (See Double-Grip Terminal.)
Single Mode Fiber	A fiber that allows only one path for light because of the small core diameter of the fiber.
Single-Pole	Contact arrangement in which all contacts connect to one common contact.
Single-Poled, Double-Throw	See SPDT.
Single-Pole, Single-Throw	See SPST.
Skew Ray	A ray that never intersects the axis of a fiber while being internally reflected.
Sleeve	Covering over the terminal barrel, it can be insulated or metallic.
Slotted Tongue	A terminal with a slot, rather than a hole, in the tongue. The slot permits the terminal to engage and disengage from a stud without completely removing the nut.
Snap-On	Used to describe the easy removal or assembly of one part to another.
Socket Connector	A connector containing socket contacts into which a plug connector having male contacts is inserted.
Socket Contact	A female contact designed to mate with a male contact. It is normally connected to the “live” side of a circuit.
Socket Contact Sleeve	A sleeve that holds the contact spring in the correct position within the socket contact.
Soft Soldering	Process of joining two metals with a fusable alloy or solder that melts below 800° F/427° C. (See Hard Soldering.)
Solder	An alloy that melts at relatively low temperatures and used to join or seal metals with higher melting points.
Solder Contact	A contact or terminal having a cup, hollow cylinder, eyelet or hook to accept a wire for a conventional soldered termination.
Solder Contact Terminal	A point at which the connector is soldered directly to the motherboard by hand, wave, or dip methods.
Solder Cup	A tubular end of a terminal in which a conductor is inserted and soldered in place.
Solder Extraction	Desoldering technique utilizing a continuous vacuum mode with controlled joint heating and cooling, a hot air jet and/or heat, and air pressure.
Solder Eye	A solder type terminal provided with a hole at its end through which a wire can be inserted prior to being soldered. A ring shaped contact termination of a printed circuit connector for the same purpose.
Solder Eyelet	An eyelet or hole in a contact through which a wire may be mechanically connected to the contact prior to soldering.
Solder Flux	A substance that transforms a passive, contaminated metal surface into an active, clean, solderable surface.
Solder Fusion	Method of simultaneously joining several layers of a multilayer circuit in a compact interconnecting system.
Solder Lugs	Device to which wire is secured by soldering. Solder lugs are attached to a PC board, termination strip, chassis or electrical component.
Solder Projection	An undesirable protrusion of solder from a solidified solder joint or coating.
Solder Sleeve	A heat shrinkable tubing device containing a predetermined amount of solder and flux used for environmentally resistant solder connections and shield termination.
Solderability	The property of a metal to be wetted by solder.
Solderability Testing	There are several test systems presently in use for connectors and PC board components. An additional test can be used for plated through-holes and components. They are: (1) The oldest and most accepted, the edge dip solderability; (2) The meniscus test and (3) The globule test. In addition to these, any test, mutually agreed to by vendor and customer for the solderability of components is acceptable.
Soldered Joint	Point of bonding between solder and component surfaces.
Soldered-Type Connector	A connector in which the contact between the conductor and the connector is made by a soldered joint.
Soldering	Process of joining metallic surfaces with solder, without the melting of the base metals. Soldering is an economical, versatile and fast termination method. A soldered connection has metallic continuity and excellent long term reliability.
Soldering Fluid	A liquid used with wave solder systems that can be intermixed with solder to reduce the surface tension of solder, promote wetting, and eliminate the formation of dross.
Soldering Irons and Guns	Category of soldering tools, including pistol grip guns, industrial grade irons, 12-volt field use irons, portable controlled output irons, controlled output soldering stations, etc.
Soldering Iron Tip	A high purity copper substrate, iron-plated 0.006” to 0.030” thick, hot-tin-dipped in the working area, and the remaining surface immunized by nickel-chromium plating. The working area of the tip is usually fabricated for access and maximum heat transfer to the work point.
Solder Oils	Liquid compounds formulated for use as the oil in oil intermix wave soldering equipment and as pot coverings on still solder pots.
Solderless Connection	The joining of two metals by pressure means without the use of solder, braze, or any method requiring heat.
Solderless Contact	Contact with a back portion that is a hollow cylinder to allow it to accept a wire. After a bared wire is inserted, a swedging tool is applied to crimp the contact metal firmly against the wire. Usually called a crimp contact.
Solderless Terminal	A wire connection in which metal parts are crimped to the wire with crimping tools. Solderless terminals vary in size and style to meet different applications, and are said to surpass soldered joints in tensile strength.
Solderless Wiring Machines	Mechanized wire-wrapping systems intended for high production applications.
Solderless Wrap	A method of connecting a solid wire to a square, rectangular, V-shaped terminal by tightly wrapping the wire around the terminal with a special tool.
Solderless Wrapped Connection	A connection made by wrapping wire that is under tension around a square or rectangular terminal. (Also called Wire Wrapped Connection or Wrapped Connection.)
Solidus	The temperature at which a metal alloy begins to melt. (See Liquidus.)
Spacer	A metal piece placed between two conductors in a connector.
Spade Connector	A terminal with a slotted tongue and nearly square sides.
Space Contact	A contact with fork-shaped female members designed to dovetail with spade-shaped male members. Alignment in this type of connection is critical if good conductivity is to be achieved.
Spade Tongue Terminal	Slotted tongue terminal designed to slip around a screw or stud without removing the nut
Span	Distance from the reference edge of the first conductor to the reference edge of the last conductor, expressed in decimal inches or centimeters.
Spectral Bandwidth	The difference between wavelengths at which the radiant intensity of illumination is half its peak.
Spectral Width	A measure of the wavelength range of a source’s output spectrum; can be specified as the full width at half maximum (FWHM); specifically, the difference between the wavelengths at which the magnitude is one-half of its maximum value.
Splice	A joint connecting conductors with good mechanical strength and good conductivity; a terminal that permanently joins two or more wires.
Splice	A permanent connection between two fibers. May be thermally fused or mechanically applied.
Splitter	A passive device used in a cable system to divide the power of a single input into two or more outputs of lesser power. Can also be used as a combiner when two or more inputs are combined into a single output. (See also Star Coupler.)
Spring-Finger Action	Design of a contact, as used in a printed circuit connector or a socket contact, permitting easy, stress-free spring action to provide contact pressure and/or retention.
Stacking	The installation of two or more terminals on a single screw or stud.
Stamped Contacts	Contacts made by stamping and bending sheet metal rather than by the machining of metal stock.
Standard High VoItage	See SHV.
Star	A network topology consisting of one central node with point-to-point links to several other nodes.
ST Connector	A type of connector used on fiberoptic cable utilizing a spring-loaded twist-and-lock coupling similar to the BNC connectors used with coaxial cabling.
Step Index	A fiber in which the core is of a uniform refractive index.
Step-Plane	An internal keying-type device incorporated into plugs and receptacles allowing the connector to be mated only one way. The connector is rotated until the step-planes match; then it is pushed together.
Steradian (sr)	The unit of solid angular measure, being the subtended surface area of a sphere divided by the square of the sphere’s radius. There are 4u steradians in a sphere. The solid angle subtended by a cone of half-angle O is 2u (1 – cos O) steradians.
Stop Plate	Device attached to a crimping tool to properly locate a terminal, splice or contact in the tool prior to crimping. (See Locator.)
Straight Connector	A connector that joins two lengths of conductor end- to-end in a straight line.
Straight Coupler Connector	A straight connector that joins two conductors of equal sizes end-to-end in a straight line.
Straight Reducer Connector	A straight connector that joins two conductors of unequal sizes end-to-end in a straight line.
Strain Damage	The disconnection of conductors from their termination points due to a sharp pull on the cord.
Strain Relief	Technique involving methods of termination or installation, which reduces the transmission of mechanical stresses to the conductor termination.
Strain Relief Clamp	An adjustable collar, usually secured by a nut and bolt, that damps the wire or cable attached to the connector so as to relieve the strain on the contact terminations. (See Cable Clamp.)
Stranded Conductor	A conductor composed of a group of wires, or of any combination of groups of wires. The wires in a stranded conductor are usually twisted or braided together.
Streamlined	Design of high-voltage connectors to eliminate sharp points or corners and to recess all hardware to reduce corona discharge.
Stress Relief	A predetermined amount of slack to relieve tension in component or lead wires.
Stress-Rupture Tests	Soldered joint tests that are performed under constant stress at the solder joint. They record the time to joint failure at a given load.
Strip	To remove insulation from a cable. Also “strip contacts,” a continuous length of formed contacts for use in an automatic installation machine.
Strip Contacts	A continuous length of formed contacts for use in an automatic installation machine.
Strip Terminal	A terminal supplied in a continuous form for use in automatic or semiautomatic crimping machines. (Also called Tape Terminal.)
Stud	Threaded or serrated insert or post used for connecting wires or terminals.
Stud Angle Terminal Connector	A connector that joins a conductor to the round terminal stud of electrical apparatus at a specified angle.
Stud Hole	The hole or opening in the tongue of a terminal to accommodate screw or stud.
Stud Terminal Connector	A connector that joins a conductor to the round terminal stud of electrical apparatus.
Stud-Type Board	Terminal board used for connecting conductors or terminals by means of binding posts or stud terminations.
Stuff	See Ramp.
Surface Conductance	Conductance of electrons along the outer surface of a conductor.
Surface Leakage	The passage of current over the boundary surface of an insulator as distinguished from passage through its volume.
Surface Mounting	The electrical connection of components to the surface of a conductive pattem without utilizing component holes.
Surface Resistivity	The resistance of a material between two opposite sides of a unit square of its surface. Surface resistivity may vary widely with the conditions of measurement.
Swaged Leads	Component lead wires that extend through the printed board and are flattened or swaged so as to secure the component to the board during the manufacturing operations.
Swaging, Swedging	Component lead wires that extend through the printed board and are flattened or swaged so as to secure the component to the board during manufacturing operations.
Switches	Devices that make or break connections in an electrical or electronic circuit. In computing systems are also used to make selections. They are usually manually operated but can a1so work by mechanical, thermal, electromechanical, barometric, hydraulic or gravitational means.
Switching Current Rating	The designated rms current that a loadbreak connector can connect and disconnect for a specified number of times under specified conditions.
Synchronous	Term used to describe a device or system in which all events occur in a predetermined timed sequence. Terminals can be designed to function in a synchronous or asynchronous mode.

---

Numbers & Misc.   |   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z  

---