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What is Position Assurance?
3/3/2021
Updated:
9/24/2026
Written By: Lindsay Sperling, Manager of Marketing Communications
Figure 1: TPA lock (yellow) disengaged – Contact bodies are not yet fully seated and can be freely removed.
As the name would imply, position assurance is a mechanism to ensure that “something” stays in the correct position. In some cases, this feature is referred to as a secondary latch or secondary lock. There are two different types of position assurance commonly found in automotive connectors like FAKRA or our AUTOMATE Mini-FAKRA connector system; TPA and CPA.
Terminal Position Assurance (TPA):
Terminal position assurance helps ensure that the terminals, or contact bodies, are fully seated inside a connector housing. A secondary lock slides into the housing and engages grooves on the contact bodies. If a contact is not properly seated, the lock cannot fully engage. Once the contacts are seated, the lock can be inserted. In addition to confirming contact position, the TPA helps reduce movement of the contacts within the connector. To remove a contact from the housing, the TPA must first be removed.
Figure 2: TPA lock engaged – Contact bodies are properly positioned and cannot be removed.
Connector Position Assurance (CPA):
Connector position assurance helps keep a pair of connectors together after they have been mated. In the AUTOMATE Mini-FAKRA connector system shown here, the cable-mount jack has a primary latch that slides under a retention clip on the mating plug. This secures the connectors in the mated position. To disconnect them, the primary latch must be depressed to release it from the retention clip.
Figure 3: Mating AUTOMATE Mini-FAKRA connectors. The primary latch is partially depressed.
A CPA device restricts movement of the primary latch so it cannot be depressed inadvertently. This helps prevent the mated connectors from becoming disconnected.
Figure 4: Left - Connector Position Assurance Lock engaged. Right – CPA component (ordered separately).
Position assurance is an important part of automotive interconnect installation. TPA helps ensure that contact bodies are fully seated, while CPA helps keep mated connectors connected. These features, familiar from traditional FAKRA designs, are also available as standard or optional features in the AUTOMATE Mini-FAKRA series, depending on the configuration.
For more information on position assurance, contact your local Amphenol RF sales representative.
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