Optimising board and wire connector solutions for industrial drives and controllers

ERNI Electronics supports industrial automation by taking advantage of decades of electro-mechanical contact design and employing that experience in ruggedised factory applications. Connectors with a contact pitch of 1.27 mm or less are ideal for drive/servo controller applications. As important to connector density is the ability for the chosen solution to accommodate mating boards at different orientations or wire-to-board requirements in the same and proven product family. Polarization features, high temperature (up to 125C) capability, optimal current rating density, forgiving mating tolerances, and long wipe lengths can be realised in a connector design focused on manufacturing, reliability and product life as required in the Industry 4.0 environment. The expanded SMC 1.27 mm pitch connectors offer a board-to-board extender that allows parallel spacing between PCBs from 20 mm to 40 mm [1.57"]. The interposer extenders can be selected based on the tallest component in the controller or accommodate varying enclosure widths. One side of the extender connector locks into a female connector so that mating and release is always on the opposite end. In addition to mezzanine connectors, the SMC offering also includes coplanar and perpendicular board-to-board solutions with a polarised interface and fully SMT termination with added strain relief features. A ribbon cable assembly rounds out the offering, accommodating high-temperature or halogen-free application requirements. "ERNI continues to offer and expand connection systems and cable assemblies that support varying board mating configurations in the most challenging of enclosures. The rugged, dual beam design delivers the performance, reliability and efficiency required for industrial automation and control systems. Our proven design and manufacturing capabilities continue to position ERNI in these long-lifecycle applications where reliability is required over time," said Sam Hines, product marketing engineer at ERNI Electronics U.S.