HIC Series | Robust Glass to Metal Hermetic Connector

Glass to metal hermetic connector solutions like the HIC Series give design engineers a leak-tight, IP67-rated interface for routing power, signal, and high-speed data across high vacuum and high-pressure boundaries. Developed by Amphenol Industrial Operations for demanding industrial platforms, these hermetic connectors combine glass-to-metal sealing, rugged metal shells, and flexible insert arrangements to help protect critical electronics in harsh environments.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Key Features & Benefits
• Markets & Typical Applications
• Technical Details
• Standards & Configurations
• Design Considerations for Hermetic Interfaces
• Resources & Support

Overview

The HIC Series is a glass to metal hermetic connector family engineered for industrial programs where boundaries must remain sealed under high vacuum or high-pressure conditions. By fusing glass insulators directly to precision metal shells, these connectors maintain a leak-tight barrier while carrying power, signal, or high-speed Quadrax contacts between sealed and non-sealed compartments.

Available in metal threaded and bayonet coupling interfaces, the HIC Series leverages familiar circular platforms such as MIL-DTL-38999, MIL-DTL-26482, MIL-DTL-5015, and M12. This lets engineers integrate hermetic terminations into existing connector ecosystems without redesigning harnesses or bulkheads.

For applications like compressors, sensors, vacuum systems, and fuel cell equipment, HIC connectors offer a catalog-defined starting point that can be further customized with different shell geometries, insert layouts, and contact options to meet unique mechanical or electrical requirements.

Key Features & Benefits

• Glass to metal hermetic sealing: Glass-to-metal seal technology creates a permanent, rigid interface between the contacts and shell, helping maintain long-term hermetic performance under pressure and temperature cycling.
• Very low leak rate: Rated at less than 1.0×10^-7 cc of He/sec at 1 bar of pressure, supporting high vacuum and high-pressure applications that cannot tolerate gas ingress or loss.
• High-pressure capability: Qualified up to 15,000 PSI (100 MPa), making HIC connectors suitable for pressure vessels, compressors, and fluid-handling systems where connector integrity is critical.
• Wide operating temperature range: Standard operating range from -55 °C to +125 °C, with stainless steel shells supporting operation up to 220 °C.
• Rugged shell systems: Stainless steel and carbon steel shells with multiple plating options deliver mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and dimensional stability in harsh conditions.
• Flexible contact options: Multiple contact sizes and layouts, including Quadrax, support a mix of power, signal, and high-speed differential pairs in a single connector family.
• Ingress protection: Designed to meet IP67 ingress protection when properly mated and assembled, helping to block dust and moisture in industrial and outdoor environments.
• Multiple platform options: Implemented across MIL-style circular connectors and M12 interfaces to simplify design-in and leverage existing harness standards.
• Global compliance: RoHS-compliant design supports deployment in global industrial and transportation markets.

Markets & Typical Applications

Glass to metal hermetic connector technology is used wherever electronics must pass signals across a sealed boundary while maintaining extremely low leak rates. The HIC Series is designed to support a broad set of Amphenol Industrial Operations markets, including:

• Process control: Hermetic bulkhead terminations in pressure vessels, reactors, and vacuum lines for chemical, energy, and industrial processing systems.
• Sensors & instrumentation: Pressure, flow, and level transducers that must operate inside sealed housings or directly at the process boundary.
• Air compressors & pneumatics: Feedthroughs and interfaces for control wiring in high-pressure compressor housings.
• Transportation & heavy equipment: Hermetically sealed connections in braking systems, engine auxiliaries, and on-vehicle pressure enclosures.
• Test & measurement: Leak-tight connectors for environmental test chambers, vacuum systems, and high-pressure test rigs.
• Medical & life science equipment: Systems where cleanliness, sterilization, or controlled atmospheres require hermetically sealed electrical interfaces.
• Smart gas and utility meters: Interfaces in metering systems that separate electronics from gas paths and outdoor environmental exposure.
• Fuel cell and electrified systems: Fuel cell stacks and related energy systems where gas integrity is essential to safety and performance.

Within the Amphenol Industrial Operations portfolio, the HIC Series complements rugged circular solutions like the LPT Series for demanding industrial applications and the products featured on our Factory Automation market page.

Technical Details

Hermetic performance

• Leak rate: Less than 1.0×10^-7 cc of He/sec at 1 bar (typical), supporting high vacuum and high-pressure interfaces.
• Pressure rating: Up to 15,000 PSI (100 MPa), depending on configuration and installation.
• Protection class: IP67 when properly mated and sealed according to installation guidelines.

Temperature and environment

• Operating temperature: -55 °C to +125 °C standard; stainless steel shells support operation up to 220 °C.
• Environmental resistance: Designed for thermal cycling, vibration, and exposure common in industrial and transportation environments.
• Compliance: RoHS compliant materials.

Contacts and layouts

• Contact options: Power, signal, and Quadrax contacts to support mixed architectures and high-speed differential data pairs.
• Contact arrangements: Multiple insert patterns with a range of contact counts (from low-density power layouts to higher-density signal designs).
• Termination styles: Configurations available to match common harness and PCB termination requirements within the supported platforms.

Shells and materials

• Shell materials: Stainless steel and carbon steel shell options for strength, corrosion resistance, and thermal performance.
• Plating: Multiple plating finishes are available to support specific environmental and galvanic requirements.
• Mechanical robustness: Metal shells and glass-to-metal seals provide a rigid, durable structure compared to elastomer-based sealing methods.

Standards & Configurations

The HIC Series applies glass to metal hermetic connector technology across several established connector platforms, reducing design risk and simplifying component qualification:

• MIL-DTL-38999 Series III: High-density threaded coupling circular connectors widely used in high-vibration and harsh environments.
• MIL-DTL-26482 Series I & II: Bayonet-coupling circular connectors that offer quick-mate, positive locking, and broad insert arrangements.
• MIL-DTL-5015: Heavy-duty circular power connectors for industrial and transportation applications.
• M12: Compact metric circular connectors commonly used for sensors and automation devices in factory environments.

Within these platforms, engineers can specify shell styles (jam-nut, square flange, box mount, and others), keying options, and insert arrangements so that the hermetic interface aligns with their existing cable, harness, and bulkhead designs.

Design Considerations for Hermetic Interfaces

When selecting a glass to metal hermetic connector, consider the full set of boundary conditions at the interface: pressure differential, media type (gas, vacuum, fluid), allowable leak rate, thermal cycling profile, and any mechanical loads on the shell or harness. Glass-to-metal sealing relies on carefully matched thermal expansion behavior between the glass and metal, as well as robust bonding at the interface, to maintain hermeticity over time.

Compared with non-hermetic or elastomeric sealing methods, glass to metal hermetic connectors offer extremely low helium leak rates, high temperature capability, and long-term stability when specified and installed correctly. For additional technical background on hermetic sealing methods and glass-to-metal interfaces, engineers can reference independent resources such as the Hermetic Seal overview on ScienceDirect.

For systems that combine sealed pressure boundaries with external power distribution or harsh-environment cabling, HIC connectors can be paired with other Amphenol Industrial Operations solutions, such as LPT and PT Series circular connectors, to build an end-to-end interconnect strategy from sealed vessel to field wiring.

Resources & Support

• HIC Series Catalog: Download the full HIC Series catalog with insert arrangements, dimensions, and ordering information (PDF).
• Market integration: See how hermetic and harsh-environment connectors fit into broader architectures on our Factory Automation and other market pages.
• Design support: For guidance on selecting the right glass to metal hermetic connector configuration, contact our engineering and sales team using the Request Quote or Request Sample links on this product page.