Simplifying Connections with Printing, Marking, and Keying
Connector customization takes different forms to meet the needs of device manufacturers, designers, and end users. Printing, marking, and keying are forms of customization that get right to the heart of making safe, secure, user-friendly connections.
Most technology comes down to having the correct plugs mated to the correct sockets in a way that is secure and properly aligned. This seems simple enough, but in applications that have hundreds of the same or similar connectors with different functions, this presents a significant challenge. A single terminal block, for example, may contain terminals for power and signal, as well as for grounded connections. Connectors also vary in voltage ratings, current ratings, and wire size and type. Mismating can result in loss of signal or power. It can also cause mechanical or electrical damage to the connector, other components, and even the device itself. It can pose a safety risk from a short circuit or equipment failure, potentially causing harm to the person making the connection or to the end user. Improper mating also wastes time and money. However, these problems can be avoided with printing, marking, and keying — simple customizations that take the guesswork out of connecting.
Printing and marking solutions
Printing and marking involve adding visual cues that guide the user to make the proper connection, preventing errors during setup, maintenance, or repair. For example, a PCB terminal, like the one pictured above, may be labeled L1, L2, L3 to distinguish different live wires; N for neutral wires; or G for grounded wires. These designations make the process of correctly identifying which terminals to plug into faster and easier.
Weidmuller’s easyConnect configurator tool allows customers to design their own components including printing and color coding. easyConnect is currently available in Europe and will be available in the U.S. soon.
This labeling can be printed onto the terminals or can be added using pre-printed marking tabs that snap onto the connector. Applying the markers is a simple process that brings a clean, easy-to-read organization to control panels.
Keying solutions
Unlike printing and marking, which provide visual cues, keying is a mechanical solution that physically prevents connectors from being mated in the wrong direction or from being mated to the wrong plug/socket.
Standard keying is built into the design of the connector. For example, D-Subs have an asymmetrical shape that prevents them from being mated upside-down. If the pins need to line up with the sockets in a specific left-to-right order, the D-shape of the connectors (with a shorter row of pins/sockets on one side) prevents them from mating in reverse orientation.
Custom keying can be achieved in different ways. One option is inserting a key code element that creates a physical barrier to prevent incorrect mating. Another option is creating a specific pattern of notches or holes in the connector that only line up correctly with the corresponding mate.
A key code element (left) would be used to block one position on the plug (center) and the opposite position on the header (right), so that only one position connects. Images courtesy of Weidmuller.
Keying is helpful when multiple connectors of the same or similar type are used together for different purposes. “If you had four panel mount connectors lined up that were all different keying, you would need four specific mating connectors to mate to each of them. You couldn’t do it all with the same connector,” said James Merryman, senior product development engineer at SV Microwave. “Whereas, if you had multiple SMAs lined up on your panel, without keying, you could take any SMA and mate it to any other SMA. You could mate a power source to an RF output, and that would completely ruin all the amplifiers and more inside your system and cause havoc.”
Keyed SMA connector (left) and keyed ZMA connector from SV Microwave (right).
SV Microwave’s unique, completely customizable, multiport connection system combines SMPM/SMPS connectors into a single multiport. The keying feature (shown below) properly aligns connectors to their mating halves. This reduces mating errors, the time needed to make multiple connections, the amount of tooling needed, and the connector’s footprint compared to an equivalent amount of threaded single port connectors.
Custom inserts for multiport connectors from SV Microwave. Each insert configuration displays a different keying option.
Polarization
Polarization is similar to keying in that it creates a mechanical impediment to mismating. Polarization is especially useful when blind-mating connectors (the operator cannot see the parts being mated) because it allows only one orientation to connect. The shape of the receptacle ensures proper polarization.
Customizing connectors with printing, marking, or keying is an effective way to ensure that connections are correct, protects people and equipment, saves time and money, and ensures performance and functionality.
To learn more about the companies mentioned in this article, visit the Preferred Supplier pages for Weidmüller, SV Microwave, and Phoenix Contact.
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