Mechatronics Manufacturer Develops Industrial Connector Line Capable of 100,000 Mating Cycles
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This article is sponsored by Stäubli Electrical Connectors, Inc., a company specializing in advanced contact technology and electrical connectors for robotics, solar installations, and more.
In the era of Industry 4.0, manufacturing emphasizes interconnectivity and real-time data. Stäubli Electrical Connectors, Inc., creator of the MC4 single-contact electrical connector with solar energy uses, answers this need with a configurable, multipurpose modular connector line for industrial applications.
With facilities in 29 countries, Stäubli is a global manufacturer based in Switzerland. The company got its start in 1892, and today, it operates four main divisions: textiles, robotics, fluid connectors, and electrical connectors.
"When it really matters, when it's really critical and your connectors cannot fail, that's when you call us," explains Adam Skare, Stäubli's head of sales. "We have higher mating cycles, great customer care and engagement, custom options, and consistent inventory. The quality and service Stäubli provides to support its CombiTac line are unrivaled in the industry."
Stäubli offers two configurations for CombiTac: direqt and uniq. CombiTac direqt has a life span of 10,000 mating cycles and has connection options for power, signal, and pneumatics. CombiTac uniq has more possibilities for customization. For approximately 100,000 mating cycles, users can achieve the same connections as the direqt, with the additions of data, fiber optics, coaxial, thermocouple, and fluid.
The company has designed CombiTac to resist not only general wear and vibration but also extreme temperatures and shocks. It's meant to support operational safety, minimize downtime, and lower maintenance costs. With a compact footprint, the modular connector system gives customers the flexibility to configure and expand it to suit their needs.
Thomas Insights (TI): What sets Stäubli apart from competitors, and what makes the CombiTac connector so innovative?
Adam Skare (AS): It's our support team and the relationships we build, all with a focus on how we can help. We pride ourselves on the after-sale support we give, which few of our competitors offer. Also, all of our salespeople have engineering degrees, so if you're really in a bind and something's not making sense, you can call us. We'll take the time to walk through the project with you and identify the issues or pitfalls.
Stäubli is known for its Swiss-engineered products of exceptional quality. The CombiTac connector excels in everything from electrical and fluid specs to harsh environment and ingress protection, and we can configure this high-mating-cycle connector based on need.
CombiTac delivers high-density connections with high voltage and amperage capacities. It transfers high-current electrical connections through a quick plugin feature, rather than having a wiring harness that you would have to hardwire every time something is connected or disconnected. CombiTac not only takes high current, but you can also put signal, fiber optics, coaxial, fluid, pneumatic, thermocouple, and data with up to 10 Gbit of signal through it.
If there's any misalignment, CombiTac has misalignment absorption to bring components together and connect them without any issues. Over the life of the product, you can save money because you won't have to replace these connectors as often as other varieties. It's scalable too, allowing you to add extra modules as needed.
TI: What are some common applications for CombiTac connectors?
AS: CombiTac has uses in diverse sectors and industrial machinery. The product line is applicable in everything from food processing to medical equipment and laboratory testing machinery. Transportation is another sector with widespread applications, such as automotive and aviation maintenance and testing.
Electronics and semiconductor manufacturers use our connectors, as well as automation and robotics projects, with charging applications for AGVs and AMRs. For example, when a company uses robots on the manufacturing floor, they have to come in and charge at some point because they run on battery. They'll come to a docking station, and CombiTac is a way for robotics to quickly connect and disconnect for greater docking efficiency.
For battery testing, storage, and other off-the-vehicle battery applications, CombiTac is well-suited to housing signal or data and power in one robust, high-mating-cycle connector. The durability and misalignment capabilities make CombiTac a great choice for battery swap applications.
TI: How is the electric vehicle sector using CombiTac, particularly in terms of battery applications?
AS: We're involved with EVs as well as e-mobility. To give you a use case, the port of Long Beach has big terminal tractors that load shipping containers. There's a new company involved in mobile charging there for when your EV runs out of juice. It's an innovative idea, and they’re using 30 of our quick-charging connect, or QCC, connectors in their docking stations.
In this application, CombiTac serves as a way to transfer, monitor, and regulate power, making sure each docking station's charger from the first to the last is getting sufficient electricity, and in the same amounts. The connector modulates how much high power is coming in, and you can regulate the transfer of the electricity that's going through.
TI: What is CombiTac’s role in automation and the advancement of Industry 4.0?
AS: In manufacturing, things are becoming automated at a fast pace. The need for reliable and easy-to-install connections and assemblies is increasing, and higher power requirements are necessitating higher voltages. One of the unique things about CombiTac is that, as Stäubli manufactures robotics, CombiTac came into being as a way to quickly connect and disconnect robots to different applications and support the robotics industry. From the get-go, CombiTac has been in support of Industry 4.0. The product line can handle up to 1,000 volts with 2.5 and 5kv options and currents up to 360A.
CombiTac’s customizable and adaptive design allows it to be a perfect solution for modular instruments. Our efficient mating system alongside our patented MULTILAM technology allows for connectors to be seamlessly connected for thousands of mating cycles while ensuring a stable connection every time. Due to the flexibility of being able to contain different forms of receiving information, a customer can monitor what they wish via the modules.
TI: What trends are you seeing in your industry, and what are you doing to stay ahead of the curve?
AS: Sustainability and green initiatives are one trend, and everybody's going electric. So again, we're looking for ways to support different industries with our solutions. We have solutions for mining applications with the QCC apparatus, and we're involved with electric ferries, with a successful install in Copenhagen.
We also make solar panel connectors, and we're the inventors and one of the largest manufacturers of the MC4 connector. We own the trademark for MC4, but it's become an industry term synonymous with solar connectors in general. Stäubli is dedicated to a greener planet, and we're involved with different projects in the sustainable manufacturing space.
We're seeing a push for modular products and less expensive options as well, which is why we launched our direqt line. Customers can buy a base product and then expand into a more complex solution based on their applications. CombiTac fits well in many markets that need dependable and reliable connectors that cannot fail. People are always looking for additional connector types and better modules, and our design team is actively developing new products to meet customer needs.
To schedule a consultation with an engineer or receive a copy of the company's product catalog, contact Stäubli today.
