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Post burn-in, connectors are a major
point of failure of an electronic system
due to mechanical and environmental
stresses, and in some cases, poor design.
This becomes increasingly significant
as electronics, particularly robotics,
permeate industrial and manufacturing
applications where maximum flexibility
must be combined with minimum
downtime.
To meet and overcome these dual
challenges, designers need to
understand the function and failure
modes of connectors and match the right
connector to the application. Factors to
be considered include environmental,
functional, and mechanical stress
requirements. All conditions and usage
models need to be considered before
making a final connector choice.
While it’s important to understand
the fundamentals to ensure longevity,
it’s just as important to look for and
review the latest advances in connector
technology to help achieve the optimum
balance of performance, reliability,
flexibility and cost.
What exactly is a connector?
This question can be answered in two
ways, functionally and structurally.
Functionally, a connector provides a
separable connection between two
elements of an electronic system
without unacceptable signal distortion
or power loss. There are two important
parts to this definition, the “separable
connection” and the “unacceptable”
performance. Both depend on the
connector application and its electrical
and environmental requirements.
The separable connection is the reason
for using a connector in the first place,
to provide easy repair, upgrading,
maintenance or interconnectability.
Requirements on the separable interface
include mating-force limitations and
meeting a specified number of mating
cycles.
“Unacceptable” performance includes
a large range of characteristics, but
this discussion will concentrate on the
limitations the connector introduces into
the electronic system. The traditional
approach is to use a standard, full-
contact wired power and signal
connector. There are many advantages
and disadvantages to this approach.
As mentioned, a separable connection
provides a separate connection between
two elements of an electronic system
without unacceptable degradation of
performance. The separable connection
and unacceptable performance depend
on the connector application and its
electrical and environmental application.
Factors to consider when choosing a
connector include:
•
Power distribution:
Joule
heating, which is proportional to the
connector resistance, can result in
increases in the connector operating
temperature, a major factor in
connector degradation. Both magnitude
and stability of contact resistance are
Contactless Connectivity Unshackles Robotic Systems
Industrial manufacturing and production may be the first to benefit
from a new way of thinking about connections
Benjamin Mang, TE Connectivity & Rich Miron, Digi-Key
30 l New-Tech Magazine Europe