Welcome!

Sealectro was an electronic component manufacturer specializing in connector and switch systems, most notably the pin matrix switching system used on EMS synthesizers and products. However, the applications for Sealectro products are virtually limitless and include computer programming, machine control, telemetry systems, lighting systems, telephone systems, instrumentation and test equipment, digital coding and decoding, and much, much more. Unfortunately, little is known about Sealectro's products and history. This blog was intended to provide a record and archive of Sealectro related information as it surfaces. Have something you want to share or contribute? Drop me a line using the contact box below!

Friday, March 27, 2020

A word from Chris Sousa, the author of this blog

This blog was created in 2016 as an archive for Sealectro products. Over the years, I've found it increasingly difficult to locate information or ex-stock of Sealectro devices and components on the web.

To this day, I'm still amazed at the amount of inquiries I get from this blog. An update is long overdue, and I will continue to upload material and information as I am able. With that said, this site is only an archive and will remain so for the foreseeable future. I'm not able to: source, sell, identify, appraise, or distribute any Sealectro product, components, literature, etc.

Your best avenue for acquiring anything Sealectro related would be eBay; many interesting items pop up from time to time.

However, if you do have any pictures, documentation, and/or insight of Sealectro and its products/business, please help contribute to this archive by using the contact box! Also, I may be interested in purchasing certain Sealectro stuff, so it never hurts to inquire!

Thanks!

Chris

A note from Bill Bullimore, a former Product Engineer for Sealectro Programming Devices

"I joined Sealectro Ltd. In Farlington, Portsmouth, UK around 1970 and was there for over 2 years. I had previously completed an electric engineering apprenticeship with the Ministry of Defense in Portsmouth Dockyard, then as a design draughtsman with MoD Telecomms Installation Group having gained an HNC (electrical engineering) at Portsmouth Polytechnic, now Portsmouth University.

The change over from stuffy, inflexible civil service work to the dynamic, progressive UK subsidiary of the US company in Mamaronek, NY was nothing short of spectacular; the difference between chalk and cheese. Farlington was a full manufacturing plant - making all the design work, machining, electro-plating and assembly, employing about 200. I answered an advert in the local newspaper and joined them as a Product Engineer specializing in high performance RF connectors [ConHex] which operated up to 18 GHz. and were used on several NASA programs.The company was doing very well and after a year, split into two divisions: a) connectors and b) programming devices. They asked me which I would choose and I took the latter, which I found very interesting.

Whilst spending time at the open plan office, I also had to fill in for any sales engineers who were either absent or transferring. This kept me very busy, so they gave a new company car and told me to travel first class everywhere and not to save the difference in tickets! I was 22 years old at the time and at least had the sense to realize I was on the front of a big building wave as the company grew.  Some of our customers were so interesting to deal with, here is a sampling:

Rogers Brothers - they made the first music synthesizers (Moog) which were used to make benchmark concerts and amazing records such as 'Switched on Bach'.  They were based in Brighton, just 60 miles away, so I wore out that road.

Herbert Tools - we made the plugboards for their programmable machine tools, such as turret lathes.  This gave them the ability to perform up to 48 separate operations.  Their engineers were north country no-nonsense types with amazing forthrightness and integrity, a delight to deal with.

Cambridge Instruments - they used a variety of our products to make their sensitive measuring devices.

Marconi - all manner of applications, some very top-secret. I had already signed the Official Secrets Act with MoD, but had to do it again through them to make sure!

Some of the staff I remember at Farlington:

Shane Dennis - marketing executive, programming devices

Pat Simpson - marketing executive, RF connectors

Terry Ede - sales manager

Bill Robinson  - finance director

Bob Scrivener - office manager

Maureen Blyth - receptionist & wife of the famous circumnavigation sailor"

Saturday, May 28, 2016

RS Components 10x10 Matrix and Shorting/Component Pins

"A patchboard consisting of a matrix of 10 input and 10 output lines (100 crosspoints total). The boards are ideally suited for machine programming, ROM generator, crosspoint connection and patching signals, etc."




Catalog scans courtesy of Derek Revell






Photos courtesy of Ken Stone


Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Sealectroboard Product Bulletin SB-4

SEALECTROJACK miniature jack/socket No. JS-1000
"The Sealectrojack is a miniature two-pole, open circuit jack specifically designed for maximum packing densities while providing extremely high electrical and mechanical performance."

Monday, May 2, 2016

Sealectroboard Catalog

SEALECTROBOARD CATALOG
"The advanced system for programming and switching"
Click here to view