(Source: Junior/ stock.adobe.com; generated with AI)
The connector market is home to one of the most diverse sets of products in the entire field of electronics. Unlike semiconductors, where one generation is succeeded by the next, connectors can stay relevant for decades. As a result, the market has accumulated an enormous range of options.
Despite this diversity, there are situations in which engineers cannot find a connector that exactly corresponds to the features they need for their design. Many engineers are forced to compromise their requirements and choose a connector that is not quite perfect simply because it is the only option available. The connector may be larger than desired or feature more pins than are required simply because other choices are not available.
To cater to these unusual requests, many manufacturers offer the opportunity to customize their products and create unique connectors according to individual requirements. However, the word customization frequently comes with a perception of cost, complexity, and delay.
Customized products require manufacturers to spend additional time creating them, which customers pay as engineering costs. Some of these changes are quick and, therefore, low cost. However, other activities, such as creating new, custom-designed mold tools, can cost many thousands of dollars and require considerable time to complete. These delays can extend the time to market, a significant consideration in today’s fast-moving industry.
However, alternatives to full customization exist. Many connectors are constructed in a modular fashion, combining components in different combinations to create a huge range of options. Some connector series enable designers to choose the precise combination of features they require simply by selecting from a range of standardized parts. The MIL-DTL-38999 connectors specification has evolved in this way, with manufacturers offering a vast number of contact arrangements that can be fitted to common shell designs.
Modular construction is also used in connectors intended for industrial applications. On the factory floor, large rectangular connectors that conform to German DIN standards are popular. DIN standards govern the connectors’ exterior dimensions and common contact arrangements to ensure compatibility with similar products offered by other manufacturers.
However, for true versatility, manufacturers also offer systems of modular components that can be fitted to common shells (Figure 1). The connector is assembled from various options in a building-block style, which is then fitted to the shell. In this way, these large industrial housings can be installed with a combination of signal and power contacts, along with fiber optic, networking, and even pneumatic functions.
Figure 1: Modular connectors offer huge customization options in a standard shell. (Source: Mouser Electronics)
This versatility does come with drawbacks. To achieve this unique connector, customers must order and assemble the individual components. While this provides the ultimate flexibility, it also creates complexities within the supply chain. While conventional connectors are usually supplied as a pair, the individual sub-components of these modular types must be purchased separately, and the processing time required to assemble them in-house can be considerable.
Therefore, engineers may decide that fully modular connectors are impractical. While offering the greatest versatility, the logistical challenges make these solutions unappealing. However, some manufacturers can provide the same functionality without the need for self-assembly. Customers select the features they require, often using online design configuration tools that allow them to view a virtual replica of their chosen connector.
The manufacturer then applies a part number to the completed design and assembles it in their own factory, providing the connector to the customer as a completed part. This offers the flexibility of customized connectors without the cost of true customization while simplifying the purchasing and logistical challenges of ordering non-catalog products.
While this method removes the engineer's ability to modify the connector themselves and reduces flexibility, it could be a small price to pay for an easier purchasing journey. It will also reduce the processing time within the engineer’s facility.
Many of the techniques in this blog are intended to replace the need for a new mold tool. Plastic insulators are essential in virtually all connectors and are usually molded. The dies in which they are made are complex and must be made to last, which means that a new tool or die is an expensive piece of equipment to make. This has a significant effect on the cost of creating a new connector.
Some manufacturers have solved this challenge by creating modular mold tools. Instead of assembling the connectors from discrete components, this technique creates a one-piece connector body from a modular mold. Engineers choose their options from the familiar configuration software, and the manufacturer creates a single-piece plastic housing into which the electrical contacts are fitted. This combines the flexibility of a customized connector without the associated engineering costs. The advantage of this technique over assembled modular types is the physical security provided by a one-piece connector. Not only is the result stronger, but there is also no chance that tampering or faulty handling can result in the connector falling apart.
For more than 100 years, the connector industry has innovated, resulting in a marketplace that offers many options. Customers also continue to innovate, resulting in a demand for non-standard connector products.
Modular connectors offer an ideal combination of cost, flexibility, and ease of use. They allow engineers to define many of their requirements’ characteristics without the additional costs associated with custom solutions. As a result, specialist connectors are no longer the preserve of high-volume manufacturers or large organizations. Connector companies’ creativity and modular solutions give engineers the chance to create something truly unique.
David Pike is well known across the interconnect industry for his passion and general geekiness. His online name is Connector Geek.
