Rugged connectors support flexible manufacturing systems

Highly automated, large-scale production is frequently being replaced by more flexible technology in industrial production. This is due to strongly individualized products, and the automotive industry is an excellent example. Ten years ago, automakers could still cover the market with four-to-six models, but today they offer 10 or more models in order to satisfy their customers’ wishes for products tailored especially to their needs.

Due to this product differentiation, the requirements for flexibility in manufacturing have increased. In the past, a new model meant that the complete production line had to be replaced with a new one, but now the existing lines are modified to suit the new model.

The trend toward increased flexibility is seen in industrial production in general, not only in automobile manufacturing. Many manufacturers face the challenges of:

• Larger product ranges
• Smaller production lots
• Shorter throughput times
  
   

Flexibility, frequent changeovers

The answer to these challenges is a highly flexible, high-volume production system known as Industry 4.0 in Europe or the Internet of Things in the United States. Such systems offer the possibilities of self-configuration, self-optimization, and self-diagnoses, all the way through to more complex, intelligent automation systems. In order to satisfy the growing demands for flexibility, the manufacturing plants and machines are becoming more and more modular.

For machines and systems, this flexibility means an increase in the number of modification procedures and tooling changes, some of which take place automatically. As a result, the electrical interfaces in these systems must also be more frequently mated and demated without showing signs of wear. Automatic docking systems that establish the electrical and mechanical connections are increasingly being used in the changeover systems.
 

High-performance connectors

In order to enable the mating and demating of such devices, machines, and systems reliably over a long period of time, they must feature durable, flexible, and robust interfaces. The power, data, and signal transfers must remain safe and reliable in spite of frequent mating and demating.

Harting designed its new Han HMC connector series to be robust, reliable, long-lived, and simple to handle ­– key attributes for supporting flexible manufacturing systems that require frequent tool changeovers.

Certified for applications with more than 10,000 mating cycles, the connectors use a high-performance contact spring that can make four different Han series work for applications with a large number of mating cycles. Contacts were developed that are extremely resistant to abrasion thanks to a special gold surface. These contacts are also at work in eight modules in the Han-Modular series, rounding out the Harting program for a large number of mating cycles.
 

Locking optimized

In harsh industrial environments, durable housings protect the connections. Being able to close reliably and make all necessary connections is mandatory for machine performance. Harting designed the Han line’s docking frames to implement automatic docking systems for a large number of mating cycles.

The company offers both connectors and housings qualified for this demand.

Users can replace standard connectors with Han HMC solutions without having to introduce any design changes, since only standard dimensions and components are involved. There are fundamentally no changes for users.

Other uses for Han connectors

Outside of automotive production, frequently mated/demated connectors can be used in measurement and testing technology. Here each test procedure involves a mating and demating, and this frequently takes place several times a day. Mobile machines and devices are other typical applications. In addition to industrial production, medical technology is also a candidate for such mobile devices.

HARTING Electric GmbH & Co.
www.harting-usa.com
IMTS 2014 booth #E-4921

About the author: Heinz-Günther Spreen is a product manager at Harting and can be reached at heinz-guenter.spreen@harting.com.