Molex SL Connectors #11

With the locking connector, I don't imagine its necessary, but might be good for someone to test if they're willing to buy them.

I've used the high force contacts before on the RoboRio. I think they provide decent utility when using the connectors without retention (like the header pins on the RoboRio) but other than that I don't think there's any advantage. The regular version is rated for 50g shock with less than 1us discontinuity, so I don't see much to improve there either.

Correct, Molex SL should be pin compatible with most "PWM" style cabling, just without the benefit of keying and latching. Because of some combination of the pin sizing and individual connector housing, I anecdotally see substantially higher retention forces with standard PWM cables I have here in my office than on roboRIO.

I think teams getting SL socket-to-socket or socket-to-flying-lead cables like that and connecting them directly to sensors, soldering to other cables, or using other connectors they are more comfortable with are all options I expect various teams will explore/use.

I've done, and had students do, Molex SL and other similar .1" pitch pins with:

• Ratcheting crimper with no contact positioner (you can find various models for similar pins from IWISS, Klein, etc. in the 25ドル-50 range). I'll leave it to people more knowledgeable than I to point you towards the ones that will make the most similar crimp to the correct SL tooling.
• Ratcheting crimper with a contact positioner (very similar to the service grade Molex tool: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0640160201/2074098)
• The "premium grade" Molex SL crimper that was offered in FIRST Choice in recent seasons (https://www.molex.com/en-us/products/part-detail/638118700)

I could make serviceable crimps with all 3, but definitely would definitely mess up like 10% or more with the ratcheting crimper alone. There were very few students I would have even bother attempting that. I would not recommend this. If you need to go a low cost route, search over on CD or on Printables for a contact positioner for Molex SL to 3D print and buy the tool it's designed to work with.

With the contact positioner tool I could make them much more easily and had a couple students I would trust to do them with a check by a mentor. I wouldn't have much of an issue recommending other teams use the service grade tool and maybe one of the DIY contact positioning solutions (haven't tried one myself to be sure). With the premium crimper they were even easier and nearly any student on our electrical team could do them.

I don't think Molex SL is substantially different than most other similar .1" pitch pins in this regard.

I would definitely try to get the crimper in FIRST Choice, but we've also had a lot of success with the 3d printed positioner I designed + 25ドル IWISS SN-2549 that @Kevin-OConnor mentioned. The students use them interchangeably, with a slight preference towards the generic over the Premium Molex crimper (which to me makes them a little crazy but mission accomplished I guess)?

I also personally use it a lot at work and at home and have had very good success with it.