The TE Connectivity 3-644466-6 is a 6-position IDC receptacle from the MTA-156 series, terminated to 20 AWG discrete or ribbon cable by insulation displacement. The 0.156" (3.96mm) pitch sets the wire-to-wire spacing and the mating header pin layout — a standard spacing for appliance and industrial control harnesses where the wire count is low and the pull-off force needs to be positive. The yellow housing colour is a visual key for the 6-position variant on the assembly line, reducing the chance of loading the wrong receptacle into a harness fixture. The locking ramp on the receptacle body engages the matching ramp on the MTA-156 header for a vibration-resistant mate. The polarizing key and feed-through feature let multiple receptacles share the same wire run without orientation errors — the key aligns to the header slot, and the feed-through passes the wire through the housing to the next position.
Termination and wire preparation for the IDC slot
The IDC termination is sized for 20 AWG only — no range, no guesswork. The insulation displacement slot cuts through the insulation and cold-welds to the conductor on insertion. The 80.0µin (2.03µm) tin plating on the female socket provides a thick, ductile layer that forms a gas-tight joint at the IDC interface without the need for stripping or soldering. For discrete wire, the conductor must be round, solid or stranded, with an insulation diameter that matches the slot entry; for ribbon cable, the 0.156" pitch aligns with standard 0.156" centerline ribbon. The free-hanging (in-line) mounting means the receptacle is not board-mounted — it terminates the cable end and mates to a through-hole or right-angle header on the PCB. The locking ramp holds the pair together without additional hardware, but the ramp engagement should be verified by a tug test after mating; a partial latch leaves the connection vulnerable to vibration.
Sourcing and lifecycle status
No end-of-life notice or last-time-buy date is on record. The base product number 644466 covers the MTA-156 receptacle family; the full 3-644466-6 suffix specifies the 6-position, yellow, tin-plated variant in bulk packaging.