Page 69 - 2021 High-Reliability, Harsh Environment Connectivity eBook

To seal and protect multiple cables, conduit or hose is required. Corrugated hose is common, but it isn’t always robust enough to protect against common hazards. For more demanding environments, look for steel or coated steel flexible conduit, which offers more protection. However, the adapter that bridges the gap between the housing and conduit is where potential ingress can occur. Just because steel conduit is being used doesn’t necessarily mean the environmental protection granted by the adapter is superior. Sometimes, a simple plastic hose can provide a higher level of ingress protection.
Separating or Combining Transmissions
There are many benefits to combining connections and plenty of ways to protect sensitive signals. However, that doesn’t mean that every situation benefits from combining lines under a single connection. Sometimes a smaller, simpler solution with one or only a couple of housings can provide just as much flexibility, but that doesn’t mean that modular inserts have to be abandoned. A single frame and housing that can be populated with different modular inserts based on an application’s specific needs can be very beneficial in instances like these, and there are even housing solutions designed specifically for a single modular insert. Some products even allow users to create one set of knockouts and populate them on-demand for each new job without having to go all the way back to the drawing board every time.
Choosing the Right Components
Ease of assembly is another important factor to consider when choosing inserts. While there are more traditional modular frames available in hinge styles, other technologies, such as snap-in modular frames, are worth considering as well. Snap-in frames make it easy to lock individual modules in place without affecting the neighboring modules. They also can significantly reduce the amount of time needed to assemble or replace modules within a snap-in frame.
It’s also critical to consider the termination method for the insert modules. While crimp termination has long been the most common method used to accommodate the high-density requirements inherent to modular inserts, it’s no longer the only game in town. Push-in terminations have come a long way from older spring-lock terminations and often offer better wire retention than screw terminals, and while the mechanism’s space requirements put some limitations on its use, those limits are actively being engineered away. Today, push-in style terminations can vary in size, from 40A contacts for power to smaller versions that can rival the density of some of the most compact crimp fixed inserts.
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» Phoenix Contact’s innovative HEAVYCON snap-in frames make it quick and easy to mount any module combination. Simply snap the contact inserts into place, and the job is done. Springs on the side accommodate the modules and securely hold them in position.
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