New USB-C FeedThrough Connector from Cliff Electronics’ is reversible

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Cliff Electronics announces the addition of a FeedThrough version of the industry-standard USB-C connector which can carry data and power on a single cable. The Cliff USB-C connector has no up or down orientation and the connector cannot be mis-inserted.

Able to connect to, and power devices including a native DisplayPort, MHL, or HDMI device, the 24-pin USB connector system has a double-sided rotationally-symmetrical design. Connection to both sides of the connector is made using off-the-shelf, standard USB-C male leads.

In common with the rest of Cliff’s extensive range of FeedThrough connectors, the new USB-C version may be mounted into an industry standard XLR connector panel cut out, simplifying system design and improving product aesthetics. The USB-C connector may also be fitted to Cliff’s purpose built 19” rack panels providing systems integrators with fast and convenient system assembly.

Cliff’s XLR format FeedThrough connectors take advantage of the standard 24mm panel cut out widely used in audio and broadcast systems and which is finding increasing popularity instrumentation, medical and industrial applications due to the format’s flexibility, security and reliability. The new Cliff USB-C connecter may be mounted to the front or rear of control panels and supplied with plain or countersunk mounting holes.

Dan Walker, General Sales Manager, of Cliff Electronics, comments; “USB-C has been widely adopted as the standard connector for supplying data and power between devices and systems. With our new FeedThrough version, all users have to do is line up the connector properly to make the connection, it never needs to be rotated for correct operation – the “right way” is always up.”

Cliff’s Feedthrough connectors now provide  Analogue, Digital and Optical Feed-Through connectivity in formats including VGA, Mini DisplayPort, Firewire, GJ45, HDMI A-A and 50 ohm BNC versions, USB2 A-to-B and B-to-A “gender change” sockets high speed USB Type – C, USB3 to USB3 in all gender changing configurations – A-A, A-B and B-A. Also available are all popular data and Ethernet connectors including USB 2.0 and 3.0, LC and SC fibre (Duplex & Simplex), UTP and FTP RJ45s in both Cat6 and Cat5e (shielded and unshielded), Toslink, RCA Phono and HDMI and blanking plates.

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HARTING commissions new European Distribution Centre

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A day of celebrations marked the HARTING Technology Group’s official opening of its state-of-the-art European Distribution Centre (EDC) in Espelkamp. Up to 20,000 order items will be processed every day, with goods dispatched to customers on the day of order. Costing an estimated €45 million, the European logistics centre is the largest single investment in the 74-year history of HARTING.

Around 10,000 packages can be shipped to customers and branches around the world every single day and the 20-metre-high shelf warehouse can accommodate approximately 7,000 pallets and 120,000 containers. A total of 2,000 containers can be taken in and out of the warehouse every hour. Installation work involved laying 100 kilometres of IT cabling, 40 kilometres of sprinkler piping and container conveyor technology with a total length of 1,000 metres.

Technical highlights include the highly-automated picking system and the storage area, which is optimally managed and efficiently utilised according to the respective order load and capacity. Cutting-edge HARTING technology can be seen as soon as you enter the premises, as approaching vehicles are automatically recognised and the barrier lifted to grant access. RFID technology ensures that pallets are correctly placed and loaded.  A driverless transport system is responsible for moving goods between the halls and independently selects the optimum route. The highly flexible logistics of the EDC also enable a fast response to changing economic or political framework conditions such as trade barriers.  

Great emphasis was also placed on generating a sustainable energy supply. The power for the European Distribution Centre is supplied by a photovoltaic system installed on the roof, while the energy requirements for cooling and heating are covered by internally produced biomethane and a geothermal plant, for which 36 holes needed to be drilled to a depth of 150m. The implemented energy supply minimises Co2 emissions and the cost of the entire centre came in 27 percent lower than the figure originally calculated by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW). 140 employees will work in the logistics centre in a two-shift system and benefit from ergonomically designed workstations, where pallets are lifted by almost a metre for picking, preventing employees from having to bend over constantly.

The offices and social spaces, reception, bistro with terrace and seating areas are all bright and friendly and the EDC sits on an 8-hectare site just off the L770 in northwest Espelkamp.

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HARTING high-temp connectors help minimise adverse environmental effects in modern metal casting production.

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HARTING’s Han® High Temp connectors are being used in metal die-casting production systems to minimise adverse environmental effects and reduce maintenance and service periods, line downtime and hence operating costs.

Metal casting manufacturers are continually looking at ways to reduce environmental damaging emissions from their production process to satisfy increasingly more stringent environmental regulations and minimise resultant air pollutants.

For example, in order to produce metal cast automotive engine component parts, sand is typically used with a mixture of organic binders as an important constituent part of the casting process.  During this high-temperature process these organic binders can lead to the release of hazardous levels of air pollutants.

To reduce the level of these pollutants there has been a move in the industry to apply certain types of inorganic binder materials mixed with sand.  Such a change also requires slight modification to the die-cast tooling and the applied processes.  This has involved adjustment to the applied electrical heating processes to the tools.  As a direct consequence, higher temperature levels are reached which have a detrimental impact on the life of such tools based on the limited operating temperature range of the electrical interface connections.

Using HARTING’s new Han® range of high-temperature connectors can help to reduce this negative impact condition and maximise the lifetime of the electrically heated metal sand casting tools.  This, in turn, supports the trend to a significant reduction in the environmental impact of the metal die casting production process.  As such, it reduces potential tooling maintenance and service periods, line downtime and hence operating costs.

New sealing materials

For example, bulkhead-side connector seals must not melt or adhere to other integrated component parts over the full operating temperature range. Consequently, HARTING has opted for a non-stick coated high-temperature-resistant rubber version, which avoids bonding between the hood and housing even if they are left mated for a number of years.

Many of the hood and housing coatings and lacquers available on the market are not suitable for long-term use at high temperatures as they can cause melting, which can in turn lead to mated parts sticking together. Thanks to the application of a special surface treatment of the aluminium die-cast hoods and housings, HARTING has been able to dispense with any potentially detrimental additional protective coating finish.

The insulating body and contacts must withstand both the high ambient conditions of the location and the additional heat generated inside the housing when under mated load. HARTING has selected high-temperature-resistant copper alloy contacts that maintain constant electrical properties when heated. In addition, high-temperature LCP plastic insulators ensure long service life.

As a result of the above-mentioned features, HARTING’s Han® High Temp connectors are able to permanently withstand operating ambient conditions of +200°C, providing extended operating lifetimes and ensuring reduced line downtime compared to alternative solutions.

Han® High Temp 10 B
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Harting announce MICA now available with a secondary Ethernet interface

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The industrially-suited MICA Edge Computer is now available with a secondary Ethernet interface. It can be used to easily exchange and process data between two Ethernet networks, including wired-to-wireless gateway applications.

With many Industry 4.0 applications, it is necessary to separate networks and send data back and forth between Ethernet protocols without permitting external applications direct access to a corporate network. As a result, HARTING has added a second interface for these applications to its MICA Edge Computing device. An additional USB interface can also be used for adding further capabilities or a USB storage device. This is because, unlike a router, MICA can also carry out complex data transformations and aggregations.

The secondary Ethernet interface is provided via the functional circuit board and expands the modular system of the MICA platform. In particular, MICA Wireless with WLAN, BLE and LTE connectivity with an additional Ethernet interface is an easy to manage and compact solution for many projects in the areas of industry and transportation.

For example, it can be used as a wired-to-wireless gateway for collecting maintenance data from PLCs and to send relevant events to the machine manufacturer or maintenance services. In addition, MICA Wireless can process nodes for RFID readers connected via WLAN. When used in this way, many RFID readers send data that evaluates the tags and feeds them in via Ethernet to the corporate network. Finally, it’s also possible to monitor remote systems via Ethernet and transmit the data as needed in a compressed format worldwide via LTE or via BLE to Ethernet gateways or railway embankment applications where Ethernet capable PLCs and RFID readers are also increasingly being used.

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Next members meeting

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The next meeting of ITSA is planned to take place on the 9th October at Norton Park in Hampshire where our membership will meet to discuss and review the UK interconnect market, trends and influences, political and economic impacts in 2019 and beyond, and other common topics.

Are you interested in becoming a member of this rapidly growing association? Are you unsure of the benefits of such an association? then why not contact the Chairman to discuss further. We occasionally welcome prospective members to these meetings so contact us to find out more.

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HARWIN become the latest member of the association

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We are delighted to announce that HARWIN has become the latest interconnect company to join ITSA.

John Biggs, Chairman of ITSA commented “The Interconnect Technology Suppliers Association continues to expand  and with HARWIN’s membership we now have the largest number of members for almost 10 years and with it a significant representation of UK operating Interconnect companies”

Andrew McQuilken HARWIN’s Managing Director added ” AS part of ITSA we will be well positioned to work with other leading interconnect companies to identify future trends, address emerging opportunities plus overcome commercial and logistical challenges that affect us all”

https://harwin.com

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