13 Backplane Manufacturers in 2022
This section provides overview, applications, and principles of backplanes. Also, please take a look at the list of 13 backplane manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
What is a Backplane?
A backplane is a type of circuit board inside an electronic device.
The backplane is the center of the device, providing communication and power supply between multiple connectors into which boards and other components are inserted.
The backplane contains connectors that connect expansion cards, optional components, and cables to each other in predetermined positions. In other words, it is a board that can serve as a mere cable port and the backbone of a computer's circuitry.
A motherboard (mainboard) in a computer has a similar function. Still, it differs in that there is no CPU or other processing or control function on the board side, so a CPU board or single board computer must be added by inserting it into a separate connector.
Uses of Backplanes
Backplanes have a variety of uses and can play a huge role in the construction of computer systems.
One of the most notable recent applications for backplanes is in the field of liquid crystal display (LCD) and backplanes, such as OLEDs.
OLED is an abbreviation for organic electroluminescence, which has made it possible to make LCD TVs very thin.
This display also requires very high backplane technology, and the attachment of minute semiconductor elements has made it possible to achieve high resolution.
Backplanes have also been introduced in touch panels for smartphones and other devices to mount all kinds of sensors and other electronic components in an extremely thin layer.
Other applications include the use of backplanes in computers to connect multiple HDDs to a single storage device without cables. They are also used as circuit boards for communication when many servers are connected.
Backplane Principles
The backplane standard often used in industrial equipment is the PICMG (PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group) backplane standard, which is also widely used as a bus standard for PCs. The PICMG backplane standard is also a widely used ISA bus standard for PCs, and several specifications have been established that use the PCI bus.
Backplane connections are superior to cable connections because they have a longer life span and higher reliability than cable connections. This is because expansion with a cable connection requires the cable to be moved when inserting or removing cards. The mechanical movement causes the cable connection to deteriorate faster.
In comparison, connections using backplanes can remain reliable for as long as the connectors last, and some products can withstand hundreds of insertions and removals. There are also two types of backplanes: active and passive.
Passive backplanes serve a passive role without a functioning bus that enables the circuit to be activated.
Active backplanes, on the other hand, have chips that buffer (like scales in a computer) various signals.
List of 13 Backplane Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- Austria
- Germany
- Taiwan
- United States of America
Backplane Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of January 2023 Globally
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | nVent | 50% |
| 2 | Heitec | 25% |
| 3 | Axiomtek | 25% |
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the backplane page as of January 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- MikroElektronika: 20,700
- Axiomtek: 187
Newly Established Company
- Akiwa: 2017 (6 years ago)
- Axiomtek: 1990 (33 years ago)
- Advantech: 1981 (42 years ago)
Company with a History
- nVent: 1903 (120 years ago)
- MikroElektronika: 1935 (88 years ago)
- Elma: 1960 (63 years ago)
Related Products
Search from All Categories
This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you are a resident of another country, please select the appropriate version of Metoree for your country in the drop-down menu.