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FEAT RE ATURE


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ONNECTIION O N CONNECTORS: Theim rta ceofco AndyFi zeAndy Fitzerof Hitaltechex


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importanceofconnect rsctors atorsandtermn erofHita te


taltechexplainswhyyo expl termiinalblock cks softoftenov xpains why you shoul be


CONNECTORS : STARTING POINT, NOT AFTERTHOUGHT ?


youshouldbeplaci g themrigh


ksi is ofte ove ooked i the electroni s design cycl yet be placingthemrightat thestartofght at the start of the design process


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kedintheelectroctronicsdesigncycleye tartof thedesignprocerocess


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yce yet they are a vita stapl eyare et they reavital sttalsta e. taple.Here re


of connection points in half the traditional space.


 Screwed or screwless? Screwed blocks have their advantages, but often they are time consuming and fiddly. In some applications (eg lighting, or applications subject to vibration) spring loaded or latched clamps are more effective and offer faster installation


ojects where all the electronics have been developed, only for the design engineer to suddenly think: “Er, how are we going to connect to the boards or how are we going to connect the boards


There’s always a solution, together?”


solution of all is to conside


process, rather than the e n and terminal blocks at the


IIN N THE BEGINNING BEGINNING … Increasingly, there are aspects of


electronics design that simply won’t be possible unless the connectors are


considered as a holistic part of the product design, rather than an afterthought. Yourminiaturisation efforts can’t be


successful unless your connectors are up to the task. Yetminiaturisation alsomakes connectorsmore difficult to remove froma board, so easy-removal features also becomemore important Unless terminal s aremade fromhigh temperature plastics you won’t be able to reflow solder them. Then there are issues surrounding locking, latching, double wire entry andmore.


.


Clearly, none of these considerations can be made ‘on the hoof’. They are design elements as inherent to the product’s


14 1 4 FEBRUAR 201 FEBRUARY 2017 | ELEC ELECTRONICS


onnectors and terminal blocks are not exactly the sexiest part of the design process. In terms of profile, they’re hardly a headline act, which explains why they tend to get overlooked until the latter stages Yet all to often help is required on proj


C .


success as any o connectors to th


e end of the process, and ther. Leave the


you’ve compromised the efficiency and performance of the overall design.


TA KING DESIGN TALKING DESIGN


Often there is huge value in being able to talk to your connector and terminal block manufacturer. The best relationships are not simply ‘order and supply’ – they are relationships of collaboration and


r the connectors but the best


start of the d .


partnership, where you say: “We’re trying to achieve X and the issues we’re


encountering are Y and Z,” and you work together to address X, Y and Z. These are the proj


ojects where field


experts get to apply their expertise and problem solving capabilities. That makes for a more rewarding experience all round and it also delivers better product design for you.


So as customers ask for greater levels of customisation, the humble connector becomes a far more complex – and far more important – element in the design process than it once was .


CONNEC ORS CONSIDERED CONNECTORS CONSIDERED


What considerations come into play when choosing the connectors for your application? Here are just some of the elements worth exploring:


 Miniaturisation: Smaller products mean smaller components. Consider, for example, using double row two-part connectors that offer the same amoun t


Figure 1:


Figure 1: cycle


Connector development kits help with the design cycle


Connector development kits help with the design


 Varying pitches: Consideration needs to be given to the required voltage ratings of the application, creepage and clearance constraints and relevant approvals criteria. The pitch of th e terminal block also impacts on their physical size and often presents a challenge to design engineers when balancing size constraints against achieving the relevant approval standards  Assembly processes: Whether you are hand, reflow or wa have a major impa you choose. Reflow


will require greater heat resistance


 Simple removal: The smaller andmore tightly packed co mponents become th e more difficult it is to remove them. An increasing part of design work is spent on placing the lugs that give you some purchase when trying to lever blocks out  Colour-coding: Avoid mis-wiring (and speed up production) by using colour-


tailored assembly i of company logos.  Custommarkings: coded blocks


on the componen t WEL CONNEC WELL CONNECTED


Sometimes, solutions take time. Early involvement gives the space to supply 3D CAD models (and often 3D printed prototypes) so designers can assess them, and then it is possible to work together on revisions.


But not every solution requires


something novel. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of putting the connectors on the inside rather than the outside of a boar d. That’s why it’s never been more important to build relationships with your connector supplier.


Hitaltech


www.hitaltech.com T: +353 21 4354716


www.hitaltech.com / ELECTRONICS ELECTRONICS It’s not just a matter


and you reduce error s nstructions/markings Custom print


soldering, for example, ct on the connectors ve soldering will


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