IN Brief:
- SWL switched RF connectors measure 1.0 × 1.0 × 0.55 mm and support DC to 15 GHz at 50 Ω.
- The connector saves approximately 40% of mounting area; with dedicated probes, total occupied area falls by approximately 60%.
- SWL connectors are in mass production; Murata plans mass production of automatic and manual probes in December 2026.
Murata Manufacturing has begun mass production of its SWL switched coaxial connectors for temporary RF test access on densely populated circuit boards. The MM8330-2600RJ5 and MM8330-2600RK20 each measure 1.0 × 1.0 × 0.55 mm and cover DC to 15 GHz at a nominal impedance of 50 Ω. Their reduced dimensions allow a test interface to occupy less space among antenna matching networks, filters and other components.
Against Murata’s previous SWJ series, measuring 1.4 × 1.2 × 0.65 mm, the connector body’s PCB mounting area is approximately 40% smaller. With the dedicated probes that Murata has developed for SWL, the combined connector and probe clearance area is approximately 60% smaller. The larger saving includes space around the contact point that must remain accessible to the probe, rather than further shrinking the component itself.
A switched coaxial test connector is inserted into an RF transmission path so a probe can temporarily divert or access the signal during measurement. Once the probe is removed, the switching contact restores the normal signal route. That arrangement supports tests during development and assembly without requiring an external coaxial socket to remain connected in normal service. Reliable engagement depends on matching the connector with the intended probe and maintaining the specified PCB footprint.
Probe clearance can consume substantially more usable space than the surface-mounted connector, particularly on boards with several radios or closely packed shielding. Automatic fixtures need tolerance for positioning and contact force, while manually applied probes need an accessible approach. Reducing the surrounding exclusion region can therefore change where engineers place nearby passive components, although fixture geometry and mechanical tolerances still have to be checked in the finished layout.
At 15 GHz, the electrical transition from PCB trace to test connector also needs careful treatment. The 50 Ω nominal interface sits within a transmission line whose ground return, trace shape, via placement and launch geometry contribute to loss and reflection. Murata says its proprietary structure maintains low transmission loss and mechanical robustness at the smaller size. Final circuit performance will depend on the assembled board and the measurement fixture used with it.
The two catalogue variants share the stated package and frequency range. MM8330-2600RJ5 comes in reels of 5,000 components, whereas MM8330-2600RK20 is packaged in reels of 20,000. Those options affect feeder loading, procurement and production replenishment rather than defining different RF ratings. Assembly planning also needs to account for the specified land pattern and the physical accessibility of each test point after adjacent components are mounted.
Murata is already manufacturing the connectors and is targeting December for mass production of dedicated automatic and manual probes. Hardware teams adopting the new footprint can therefore prepare PCB revisions while coordinating access to the matching test accessories. For automated lines, probe supply, fixture construction and validation of the contact sequence determine when a newly designed test point can be used at production speed.
The company’s stated applications include smartphones and wearables, where adding wireless functions can increase RF component counts without increasing board area. Similar layout pressures arise in compact professional communications modules and embedded radio equipment. In either case, the engineer must balance reduced test footprint against the need for calibration access, repeatable contact and sufficient separation from nearby signal paths or shielding.
Electrical validation remains tied to the measurement method selected for each product. Insertion loss, reflections and calibration offsets introduced by the fixture may have to be characterised before measurements can be compared across production batches. Switching-contact life and engagement repeatability also need to be assessed against the number of tests expected during manufacture and servicing, using component specifications rather than assumptions based solely on package size.
With the connectors already being manufactured, Murata’s December probe milestone is the next practical step towards wider automated use. The SWL design gives PCB designers a smaller temporary measurement interface, while matching fixtures and verified RF performance will determine how much of its quoted occupied-area reduction a particular production line can exploit.
