The TE Connectivity 6-100525-3 is a male coding key for the Z-PACK backplane connector family. It is an accessory, not a connector — it plugs into the header or receptacle shroud to enforce correct slot orientation in a multi-card backplane. The orange color identifies a specific keying position; a matching orange key in the mating half must align for the connectors to engage. Without the key, a card can be inserted into the wrong slot or rotated 180 degrees, which shorts power rails or damages the backplane.
Compatibility — Which Z-PACK Sub-Series Accept This Key
The 6-100525-3 is specified for use with Z-Pack series connectors generally. The Z-PACK family includes several sub-series — Z-PACK HM (hard metric per IEC 61076-4-101), Z-PACK 2mm, and Z-PACK TinMan — all of which use a common keying system. The coding key snaps into a dedicated slot in the connector shroud, so it works across any Z-PACK connector that has the keying slot molded in. If you are working with a non-Z-PACK backplane system (e.g., AMPMODU or MICTOR), this key will not fit.