Four categories of industrial connections exist.

1. CONNECTORS FROM BOARD TO BOARD

PCBs can be connected wirelessly using board-to-board connections instead of cables. Board-to-board connections are suitable for systems with limited space because of their capacity to minimize cable clutter. These connections can be arranged either perpendicularly or parallelly to connect the printed circuit board. The term “meszanine connector,” which connects two printed circuit boards in stacking configurations usually used for motherboard-daughterboard, is widely used by engineers to describe printed circuit board layouts that are perpendicular to one another.

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There are a few factors, mechanical specifications, mounting options, and limitations to take into account when choosing a mezzanine connection. Tolerances, standoffs, brackets, chassis slots and frames, and stack height are a few examples. Separability is determined by a variety of factors, including the minimum and maximum insertion force, the number of mating cycles needed throughout a connection’s lifespan, and the degree to which a connector may become detached. All mezzanine connectors must adhere to EIA 700AAAB requirements.

Backplane is another phrase related to board-to-board connections that you should understand. In short, a backplane is a group of electrical connections connected in parallel, each of which is linked to a pin on every other connector to form a connector bus. Because of their durability and flexibility, backplane systems are useful in computer and communications systems. By connecting many plug-in cards via a single backbone, you may build a full backplane system using the backplane approach. Before reaching the receiver, the signal from the transmitter passes via a number of connections, therefore strong signal integrity in the backplane system is required for devices used in high-speed applications.

As data rates rise, typical problems including weak signals, reflection, crosstalk, and inter-symbol interference (ISI) might occur. Due to these challenges, channel jitter performance is negatively impacted by noise, a decrease in signal amplitude, and a slowdown in signal edge rate. All of the backplane system connectors need to have sufficient impedance matching and shielding in order to avoid problems with the systems. The connections also need to withstand several cycles of insertion and removal of circuit boards.

2. CONNECTORS BETWEEN CABLES

In electrical, electronic, and computer connectors, cable-to-cable (also known as wire-to-wire) connections are frequently utilized to connect two wire-terminated connectors. Some typical criteria for this sort of connection include the number of circuits (or locations), wire size, and mating gender. One wire-to-wire connection may include as many as fifty circuits. A typical method for measuring wire size is the American wire gauge, or AWG, which is a non-ferrous wire conductor size standard. The term “Gauge” itself describes the wire’s diameter; as the gauge number rises, both the wire’s diameter and temperature range fall. Thickner wires are recommended in applications requiring very high currents because they conduct more current due to their lower electrical resistance.

There are several considerations you should make when choosing a cable-to-cable connection. It is necessary to take into account factors including pitch, orientation, temperature range, durability, plating substance, and—above all—termination procedure. Wire-to-wire connections are subject to the same mechanical and electrical specifications as other connector types.

The maximum current and voltage, the withstanding voltage, the insulation and contact resistance, and the number of contact points that will be carrying current are all important for electrical safety. The wire pull-out force, the actual mating force, the minimum contact retention force, and the maximum contact insertion force must all be taken into account mechanically.

3. CONNECTORS FROM WIRE TO BOARD

When connecting wires to printed circuit boards (PCBs), the Crimp method is frequently employed in wire-to-board connections. To finish the connections, the contacts or terminals can be placed into the corresponding housing once the connector has been crimped to the wire. Two more wire-to-board connections are surface-mount technology (SMT) and insulation displacement contact (IDC).

PCBs employ wire-to-board connections for electrical transmission because they are straightforward, dependable, and reasonably priced. In fact, the automotive, commercial, industrial, and telecommunications industries may all benefit from the adaptability and endurance of these connections. Due to their size, wire-to-board connections have historically presented some technological challenges; however, they have been addressed in more recent models with superior designs. Wire-to-board connections’ new, more compact designs have improved their utility for automated surface mount assembly, enabling you to manufacture your control devices more quickly and with more dependability and longevity.

Wire-to-board connections lack conventional designs, in contrast to other connector types. Your needs, applications, and other use cases will thus determine the kind of connection you choose.

4. FEEDTHROUGH PANEL CONNECTOR

Large wires frequently need to pass through walls and panels in industrial applications. Since equipment tends to shake and just cutting a hole will not allow for an environmental seal, such cables run the risk of abrasions, cuts in the cable jacket, and maybe even damage to the internal wire. If you ever need to detach the wire or cable, you’ll also find it difficult to do so. Pluggable connections are perfect for testing, disassembly, and assembly in a production line or manufacturing setting. The sealed industrial panel feedthrough connector is resistant to UV rays, chemicals, oils, and drastic temperature fluctuations.

Typically, industrial connections are robust devices that can carry power, data, and electrical signals—or all three—through a single connector. Known as panel feedthroughs or bulkhead connections, these connectors simplify the manufacturing process, prevent cable abrasions, and offer superior strain relief for the cable. To ensure a watertight installation, the mounting face of the big terminals can be gasketed and sealed. They are therefore ideal for allowing high-current cables to flow through bulkheads, walls, panels, and enclosures.

Panel feedthrough connections are best suited for massive cable management in industrial settings such as factory automation, process control, and medical technology applications.