What it is and where it sits in the Sabre 43160 series
The Molex 431606304 is a 4-circuit single-row male-blade header in the Sabre 43160 family, rated 18 A per circuit at 600 V with a 7.50 mm pitch (0.295"). Tin-plated brass contacts over 60 µin (1.52 µm) of finish sit in a black glass-filled PA46/nylon housing. The board-lock feature and locking ramp keep the header seated during panel assembly and harness pull-out — a real concern in equipment frames that see repeated mating cycles under vibration or cable tension. Operating range is -40°C to 75°C.
What the key ratings mean for your BOM line
The 18 A per-contact rating is governed by the glass-filled PA46 housing material — the current ceiling sits within the thermal range of the insulator, so the 600 V rating and the 18 A rating are both usable in the same circuit without derating one for the other at the stated operating temperature ceiling of 75°C. Tin plating at 60 µin (1.52 µm) is the standard commercial grade: adequate for permanent or low-cycle assemblies, not optimised for high-cycle disconnect duty. The locking ramp on the header body mates with the matching receptacle housing to resist accidental unmating under cable pull — the board lock feature supplements this by anchoring the header to the PCB during panel flex.
Lifecycle and sourcing posture
Listed Active with ROHS3 Compliant status — no NRND flag or L* successor entry on the seed MPN, which means it is quotable to order against the BOM quantity without a cross-reference search. Confirm position count and pitch match before committing; the Sabre 43160 series spans multiple circuit counts at the same 7.50 mm pitch, so the 4-position count on the 431606304 is the gating selection parameter against other members of the family.