Ruggedized Connectors: From the Factory Floor and Beyond
The rapid adoption of automation, connectivity, and real-time data collection in industrial spaces – often referred to as Industry 4.0 or the Industrial Internet of Things – has fueled innovation in the connector space in order to facilitate reliable and protected connectivity in harsh environments. Standard interfaces such as USBs and HDMIs were redesigned to meet higher IP Codes and withstand shock, vibration, water, debris and other environmental hazards found in military, automotive, and industrial environments.
The ability to use these standard interfaces in harsh environments has played a significant role in the automation of industrial operations – but their adoption hasn’t stopped there. Handheld portable devices have become ubiquitous in almost every facet of life, from medical treatment to retail, transportation, and beyond. On the consumer side, portable devices are now commonplace – the average U.S. household had 25 connected devices in 2019, according to a Deloitte study, and that number has certainly grown since then.
Today, devices used in harsh industrial spaces as well as in non-industrial environments face a lot of the same environmental challenges: they’re dropped and bumped, or exposed to liquids, extreme temperatures, and dust, and there’s still the expectation that they will operate reliably despite these interferences. Increasingly, ruggedized connectors and components are making their way from the factory floor and into the hands of retailers and consumers.
DESIGN CHALLENGES AND CONSIDERATIONS
Although ruggedized connectors have been in use for years in industrial settings, applying them to enterprise or consumer-facing devices comes with unique obstacles. The ruggedized components are often IP-rated, which requires certain sealing techniques and impact requirements, so incorporating a ruggedized USB port into a device isn’t as simple as installing a stronger connector.
Form factor is another challenge at the forefront – generally, portable devices are designed to be as small as possible, even if they incorporate ruggedized components into their design. And as devices evolve to do more, there’s a growing need for more I/O ports without impacting the device footprint. One growing trend to address this challenge is combining ports or placing them close together in the same protected environment, resulting in different types of interfaces within the same ruggedized connector.
These challenges can be illustrated with the real-world example of portable medical equipment. As hospitals face staffing shortages and want patients in and out of the facility more quickly, there’s an increase in the use of portable monitoring equipment the patient can use at home to continue their care. These systems are both costly and critical but are no longer operating in a hospital environment, so it must be able to withstand a variety of household hazards. If it’s knocked into the bathtub, for example, the equipment needs to be protected and not hurt anyone, and if it’s dropped on the connector it needs to be able to withstand the impact. It’s also important that these types of devices that use ruggedized USB connectors can connect to non-ruggedized plugs for charging or data transfer so the patient doesn’t have to use a special mating connector.
SOLUTIONS FOR NON-INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
Depending on the IP Code rating a connector must adhere to and the market vertical it will be used in, there are a variety of capabilities a rugged connector can offer.
Finger-proof protection. The IP20 protection standard is an ingress protection standard that is largely implemented in the mating area of the connector. These connectors aren’t sealed but provide protection against a finger being able to touch energized components, ensuring the safety of the operator and protecting the equipment from shorting.
Quick release. One example of a connector with a quick-release capability is a circular locking connector. Traditionally these are rotated in order to lock them into position, but the ruggedized version of the mating and latching system is designed with a spring-loaded metal latch thumb release to provide an easy way to disconnect without a locking mechanism. This simpler approach is especially useful if the connector itself is hard to access.
Pre-assembled components. These connectors come with contacts that are already embedded and ready for termination, which allows the user to strip a wire and place it in the back of the connector to make the termination, as opposed to an external contact and crimped wire.
Ruggedized housings. One of the most important components of a ruggedized connector is its housing, which allows it to withstand drops and other impacts. Using a zinc die cast shell with integrated gaskets that is screwed to the panel of the device creates a reliable seal and an extremely strong housing. This type of shell construction provides not only ingress protection but physical protection for shock.
Filtered connectors. With the increase in connectivity comes an increase in electromagnetic interference (EMI), which can negatively affect the device. Filter connectors are a solution to suppress EMI emissions, but this solution is traditionally fragile. The chip capacitor inside ruggedized filter connectors is mounted via mechanical springs as opposed to soldered connections, making them much more impervious to shock and vibration damage.
Other insulators and materials. Depending on the device, other features might include high-temperature versions of plastic components or insulators that make them less susceptible to heating during termination. These glass-filled insulators and tough plastics exhibit resistance to heat and friction. The zinc die cast shells are nickel plated as well, which helps provide corrosion resistance.
Ruggedized components have broad market coverage from military, medical, automotive, and telecom to consumer-facing markets such as retail, fitness, personal devices, medical, and home automation – and the applications continue to expand to other verticals. The rollout of 5G connectivity will further accelerate the need for ruggedized connectors in everyday devices – the boost in high-speed data communications using an Ethernet protocol will require ruggedized connectors to handle the speed and environment more devices will encounter in the future.
Working with an experienced supplier such as Amphenol to choose the right approach to designing a device that can withstand harsh environments is essential. Ruggedizing a device is so much more than just using a zinc housing – it’s the considerations surrounding installation, sealing, and use cases. TTI is proud to carry Amphenol ruggedized connectors and now more than ever plays an important role in the supply chain with their high inventory, reduced lead times, and improved logistics solutions.