Business profile
Making your connection M
Multi-Contact specialises in the design and manufacture of rugged, highly reliable electrical connectors so it is no surprise the rail industry is one of its prime markets
ore than a century after the first electric train, the use of electrical power in rail vehicles continues to
increase steadily. As well as advances in traction systems, there is a growing requirement for powering passenger services such as automatic doors, heating, air-conditioning, information and entertainment systems, power sockets etc.
All this means there is a demand for reliable and extremely rugged electrical connectors, particularly due to the inherently modular nature of trains. This is therefore a natural market for Multi-Contact, which right from its foundation over 50 years ago established its name with a highly reliable contact system based
on louvred connector elements with multiple contact points.
High reliability
This contact system, known as Multilam, is particularly suitable for high power applications, as the multiple contacts help to ensure very low power loss with an even current distribution that prevents hotspots. It is also designed for high reliability and a large number of mating cycles, with excellent resistance to shock and vibration and environmental extremes - all essential requirements for rail rolling stock. As an example of the company’s presence in the international rail sector, it recently won a contract from an international rail company for its new MPC connectors. With about
115 connectors per train and an initial order for over 170 trains, this represents a substantial endorsement for the new modular connector system. They will be used for inter-carriage connections and linking subsystem components as well as the traction motor connections.
Modular power connectors The MPC Modular Power Connectors were chosen for their electrical performance, compact design, modular layout and flexibility of operation. They can combine up to 15 single pole power contacts in a single connector, with up to five joined side by side in up to three layers.
This versatility is enhanced by the availability of linear and right-angled connectors, making the units highly
Multilam technology has long been a cornerstone of Multi-Contact’s extensive range of electrical connectors. The principle consists of multiple louvred contacts produced in strips, which allow electrical contact to be made via a large number of defined, current carrying points. Each louvre forms an independent, torsion spring loaded current bridge, so that the parallel louvres substantially reduce the overall contact resistance.
Other advantages of this adaptable design include good heat resistance, good contact force, a high number of mating cycles, excellent resistance to corrosion and vibration, and long product life.
Figure 1 (right): The Modular Power Connector (MPC) in straight and angled versions as well
May 2013 Page 99
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