Automotive Connectors Meet New Challenges as Vehicle Technologies Improve

Connectors used in automotive applications enable everything from stereo systems to drivetrains. As these systems become more connected, more automated, and more energy-efficient, they require Automotive Connectors that can deliver high-speed connectivity in rugged, lightweight, and easy-to-install designs.

Harsh-environment connectivity has extended to various mobility applications including passenger and racing vehicles. This brings a host of infotainment, safety, navigation, and connectivity enhancements to the transportation experience.

This next-generation connectivity in automotive applications requires exponentially more bandwidth than ever before. Two of the communications standards automotive applications currently rely on to transmit audio, video, voice, and data signals are the Media-Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) and Ethernet protocols. Although Ethernet allows for higher speed transmission, standard RJ45 plugs were developed for more traditional, in-office Ethernet applications and, as such, aren’t designed to resist vibration, which can cause the thin layers of gold plating to rub off the contacts and result in equipment failures. For this reason, many ECU Connector manufacturers have adapted standard Ethernet connectors to meet the requirements of harsher environmental conditions and now offer electrically and mechanically ruggedized Cat 5 and Cat 6 solutions that provide high-reliability, high-speed transmission in addition to effective protection against hazards including liquid and particulate ingress, electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI), extreme temperatures, shock, and vibration.

Passenger safety features are no longer an exclusive technology just for luxury models. Today, they are more and more common, all the way down to compact and subcompact vehicles. All mobility applications rely on dependability. As the need for high-performance vehicles increases, the number of built-in components simultaneously increases. The result is limited mounting and wiring space, which is pushing 1 Pin Connector manufacturers to develop smaller and smaller connectors.

People who require wiring solution seeks help from Wire Harness suppliers and other professionals that is within the field of expertise. It will be beneficial to know what types of wire to purchase. One may come across a technician referring to a wire harness as a cable assembly and vice versa. While both have similarities, there are distinct differences between the two. This article is here to illustrate the differences.

Understanding the Real Deal

Both Automotive Fuel Injector Wire Harnesses and cable assemblies provide power in many electrical devices. They have common attributes and uses, the reason why these two terms are often interchangeably used. However, as aforementioned, they have differences. And it is crucial to indicate first the difference between “wire” and “cable” since both of these terms are interchangeably used as well.

Basically, a wire is a strand of material that conducts electricity, such as copper or aluminum. Unlike a cable that is a composition of two or more wires that run together. These wires are often braided or bonded together; that is why cables look like a bunch of intertwined wires.

Now, we can further define a wire harness as merely a grouping of individual sheathed wires or distinct cables wrapped separately in a dedicated sheath. Whereas a cable assembly features a group of wires or cables protected by an insulating cover. This cover can be from various materials like shrink-wrapped thermoplastic, vinyl, or thermoplastic rubber. The individually covered wires or cable functions separately, and at their ends, each feeds through one coupler or connector.

The main benefit of crimping is that it eliminates the need for soldering wire, therefore reducing installation time. This reduction in time is very important in today’s market where time is of the essence and fewer technicians are being asked to maintain more and more equipment. In addition, solder joints are brittle and are prone to failure under continual vibration, which can be expected in harsh environments.

To be sure your crimp goes smoothly, use the Crimp Terminal manufacturer’s recommended tools. You may be tempted to grab whatever tool is within arm’s reach, but every manufacturer designs their terminals to be crimped with a specific set of tooling. Using the incorrect tools could cause crimps to not meet the designated specs and open you up to potential failure.

Many customers like using ratcheting crimp tools because they provide tactile feedback so you know when the terminal crimp is fully compressed. Ratcheting crimp tools also assure a proper crimp by providing a color coded, visual confirmation that you are using the correct cavity for the gauge wire you are crimping. Lastly, they don’t allow you to open the crimp jaws until you’ve reached proper crimp height.