Connectors Deliver Cost Saving Machine Building Installation and Maintenance Benefits

If you design or build industrial machines, you already know about hardwiring. Thanks to its low installation costs, hardwiring remains the most common way to bring power and signal to a machine. But when you factor in the full range of wiring costs, including initial wiring, routine maintenance, and repairs requiring certified electricians — all sources of downtime — those initial savings can quickly evaporate. Combining that with the advantages of connectors making machine systems easier to transport, assemble, and maintain, clearly demonstrates how connectorized systems are more costeffective over the long term.

AVOID HIDDEN INSTALLATION COSTS

While obvious installation costs include cables, accessories and labor, hidden installation costs have their own labor and time-to-market factors. For example, many machines have to be disassembled for shipping and reassembled on site, meaning the machine has to be hardwired twice — doubling wiring costs. In addition, field wiring errors can cause start up delays or can even damage a machine. Subsequent testing of the hardwired systems is complex and expensive.

After installation, reducing downtime for scheduled maintenance or caused by unforeseen issues is crucial. Power and signal disruptions can result from a wide range of conditions from overcurrent to forklift accidents. When disruptions occur, replacing hardwired cable can take hours.

BUILD COST-EFFECTIVE MODULAR MACHINES

Connectors help support the growing trend in automated industrial environments for modular machines that are faster and less expensive to build. Designers use pre-built, pre-tested subsystems and components that are ready to integrate. They can even reuse modular components like control panels, junction boxes and populated cable tracks. Sensors and actuators with pre-wired connectors are also increasingly available.

Connectors enable plug-and-play installation of modular machines, which saves time and ensures wiring integrity. And, when multiple connectors are mounted side-by-side, they can be keyed so that each cable connector only mates with the right receptacle.

Electrical connectors can address virtually every power, control, signal and data application, making them an effective rival to point-to-point wiring. In addition, connectors can be customized to address specific machine requirements in modular systems.

Custom modular connectors can incorporate power and control contracts, fiber optic contacts, pneumatic ports, and data bus connectors inside an environmentally protected housing. When it comes to preventing downtime, connectors pay for themselves because machine interruptions lead ot substantial costs.

MAXIMIZE UPTIME FOR GREATER COSTS SAVINGS

Because connectorized systems allow quicker, easier installation and can help prevent disruptions due to harsh conditions, you can maximize uptime for your automated systems. Here are some ways that connectors help you get the most out of your industrial machines:

Faster Shipping. When it’s time to ship a large machine, some disassembly is unavoidable. At the very least, cables to and from the control panel can be disconnected. With hardwired machines, this step adds time, expense and risk of installation errors to the project. In contrast, the only step necessary with connectorized machines is to unplug cables from the panel’s bulkhead connectors. You won’t disturb the panel’s internal wire routing and connections, and the same holds true for junction boxes, motor assemblies, sensors and data cables.

Faster Commissioning. Upon installation, the machine’s wiring must be reconnected. Often, local electricians perform the work and because they may be unfamiliar with the machine costly mistakes and startup delays are likely. You may mitigate the risk by sending factory technicians to complete the installation, but this adds time and labor costs. Connectorized machines offer a better approach. Because they have a plug-and-play startup process, there is no need to rewire a machine in the field. That means no costly or time-consuming troubleshooting or parts replacement. For large, complex machines, the process can be reduced from weeks to days.

Reliable connections for harsh conditions. Machine often have to operate in corrosive, electrically noisy, or mechanically challenging environments. For example, food and beverage equipment must undergo frequent washdowns, while offshore installations such as wind farms can expose connections to salt sprays. Both environments can generate corrosion. Industrial environments can also present dirt, abrasion, and electrical noise that may cause expensive downtime. To ensure reliable operation in harsh environments, connectors can be specially engineered and made from materials designed to perform in challenging conditions while protecting electrical connections inside the connector.

ACHIEVE CONTINUOUS SAVINGS FROM MACHINE CONTRUCTION THROUGH TO OPERATIONS

LAPP’s EPIC® ULTRA series of industrial connectors are built for tough conditions. Their housings feature nickel-plated zinc hoods and bases with stainless-steel
hardware. Together, these corrosion-resistant materials allow the housing to withstand conditions that may compromise traditional painted aluminum houses.
EPIC ULTRA HB housings also include a built-in cable gland that enhances sealing and strain relief while also eliminating a possible leakage path. In addition, the lip
seal between the top and bottom housing components has been recessed so it is totally enclosed by the housing when mated and latched. This design feature protects it from mechanical damage and exposure to UV radiation when installed outdoors.

CONNECTOR SELECTION MADE EASY

With all the connector types to choose from, it can be difficult to find the right connector for your installation. You can make connector selection less stressful by considering these key factors:

Number of contacts. The number of contacts in the connector should match or exceed the number in the cable. Remember to consider the ground to avoid a miscount. Cable connector counts typically include ground while connectors do not.

Wire gauge (AWG). The cable’s wire gauge must be within the allowed range of the connector contacts. In general, screw contacts will accommodate a broader range of wire gauges than comparable crimped contacts.

Cable outside diameter (OD). If the OD of the cable is too small relative to the housing, you could end up with a poor seal and suffer performance issues. If the cable OD is too large it will not fit inside the housing easily or at all, driving up your installation cost.
Maximum voltage and current. Double check to make sure your application’s voltage and current are within the connector’s rated capacity. This specification detail is critical to safety.

By defining these four factors as you begin your selection, you can determine whether your connector will function as a true extension of a cable. While they don’t capture the effects of difficult operating environments or unusual electrical requirements, they can help you quickly narrow down a broad field of connector products.

GO MODULAR FOR DESIGN FLEXIBILITY AND SAVINGS

Connectorization usually makes a lot of sense compared to hardwiring, but what if you can’t find an off-the-shelf connector that meets your technical requirements? That’s where modular connectors enter the picture.

Based on plug-and-play modules in standard frame sizes, modular connector technology covers a wide range of power, control and data connections. These include high voltage, high current, thermocouple, Profibus and Ethernet. Modular connectors also support hose-connected pneumatics up to 145 psi.

The main benefit of using modular connectors is that they combine the best attributes of custom and off-the-shelf products:

Custom design flexibility. By combining power nad signal modules freely, you get all the design flexibility of a custom product. Oftentimes, modular connectors will allow you to consolidate what would otherwise have been multiple connectors, saving panel space and reducing installation costs. Modular connectors can also be pre-assembled, fully tested cable assemblies—for even greater savings in installation and replacement costs.

Off-the-shelf convenience. Despite their custom nature, modular connectors have lead-times similar to6 off-the-shelf products, which helps you meet your delivery deadlines.

ACHIEVE CONTINUOUS SAVINGS FROM MACHINE CONSTRUCTION THROUGH OPERATION

Machine buyers expect to operate their manufacturing and assembly lines without interruption. In large factory operations, even brief downtime can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost production. Connectors provide cost-saving, plug-and-play modular units that can be up and running quickly in automated systems. Connectors also make machines easy to ship quickly, install and maintain. And quality connectors resist harsh industrial conditions to create solid connections – all key selling points for any machine builder, and key savings opportunities for machine operators. These benefits more than offset the higher initial costs associated with connectors compared to hardwiring.