New-Tech Europe | November 2016 | Digital edition

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

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

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

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

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