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Insulation Displacement Contact Types

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This article is a brief introduction to Insulation Displacement Contact Types.

Insulation Displacement Contact Types

We are going to dig a little deeper into the 2 main types of IDC that are on the market in Australia - 110 & LSA-PLUS (Krone Style). To begin with I will explain what an IDC is. IDC is an abbreviation for “insulation displacement contact”, and is exactly that - two pieces of copper that cut through the insulation on the conductors in your cable and pierce into the copper itself. This forms a “cold weld” between the contacts and the conductor, ensuring a tight seal. This is where the difference takes place - read on to find out how.

LSA-PLUS:

LSA-PLUS is a German acronym:

Lötfrei	Solderless
Schraubfrei	Screwless
Abisolierfrei	No insulation removal
Preiswert	Cost-effective
Leicht zu handhaben	Easy to use
Universell anwendbar	Universal application
Sicher und schnell	Secure and fast

The main difference when compared to 110 is that Krone can be easily identified by its contact slots arranged at a 45 degree angle to the wire. Unlike 66- and 110-style IDC punch blocks, Krone contacts can be used with stranded conductors. The contacts use silver to inhibit corrosion and require a punch down tool for wire insertion. Krone blocks are also available in versions which can handle frequencies much higher than conventional blocks.