IDC Receptacle for Discrete or Ribbon Cable Harnesses
The TE Connectivity MTA-156 3-643818-9 is a 9-position, single-row IDC receptacle designed for mass-termination of 20 AWG discrete or ribbon cable. The 0.156" (3.96mm) pitch matches the standard MTA-156 header footprint, making this a direct wire-to-board interconnect for harness assembly. The yellow housing includes a polarizing key and a closed end, which together ensure the cable is inserted to the correct depth and the connector cannot be mated in reverse orientation. Termination is via insulation displacement (IDC), which eliminates wire stripping and crimping for a single-operation factory harness build.
Wiring the 20 AWG IDC Termination
This receptacle is specifically gated for 20 AWG wire. The IDC slot dimensions and insulation displacement blades are tuned to that gauge; using a different wire size risks an incomplete termination or damaged contacts. The closed-end design acts as a wire stop, so the conductor bottoms out at a consistent depth across all nine positions during gang termination. This thickness is standard for IDC applications where the termination wipes through the wire insulation and makes a gas-tight connection.