Decision Paths
Scenario-based starting points. Each page walks one common interface from "I need a connector here" to a documented, buildable choice, using the same structure:
- Use this when / Avoid this when — is this even the right scenario?
- Families to start with — where to point your search first
- Search terms — how to phrase it so the datasheet actually opens
- Specs to check / Parts people forget / Common traps
- Questions to ask a vendor/FAE
- Example documentation bundle — what "done" looks like
These pages summarize and cross-link the rest of the guide; they do not replace the deep dives, the datasheet, or the applicable standard. No ratings or part numbers are asserted for you — verify every value against the source.
| Scenario | Start here |
|---|---|
| Sealed sensor/actuator cable in factory or field automation | Industrial sensor |
| Ethernet outside a protected enclosure | Rugged Ethernet |
| Board-to-wire wiring inside an enclosure | Internal PCB harnessing |
| Better-than-hobby field wiring on a budget (makers going rugged) | Rugged on a budget |
| Motors, batteries, PDUs — real DC power | High-current DC power |
| Passing a circuit through a sealed enclosure wall | Sealed enclosure feedthrough |
| Occasional debug / programming / service access | Debug / service port |
| Harsh-environment external I/O on defense/aero hardware | Defense / rugged external I/O |
| Serviceable machine module — mixed power/signal/data | Removable machine module |
| Antenna, GPS, radio, or coax path | RF / GPS / radio |
note
Still turning a vague need into search terms? Start with How to Search for Connectors, then come back here.