Today's industrial system contains a large number of electrical components and equipment, from PCB boards, sensors, drivers, motors, industrial computers, electrical cabinets, and even production lines, machines, etc., which usually need to be connected together to work together. In this process, various types of industrial connectors actually play a very important role, such as: carrying power, transmitting control signals, connecting data communication between devices.... it can be said that if there is no industrial connector, the Internet of things, intelligent manufacturing, industry 4.0... And so on are all in vain.
Don't underestimate the industrial connector. Although it's small, the technology it contains is not simple. On the one hand, the reliability of electrical connection directly determines the performance of the equipment system; on the other hand, the classification of industrial connectors is extremely complex in the face of different types of application scenarios. In fact, it brings some difficulties to our daily product development and system integration.
Up to now, there is no unified classification standard for connectors. New application fields are emerging, and structures are becoming more and more diversified. It is difficult to use a fixed pattern to classify and name connectors. However, some basic classification principles are still valid. Let's first understand the preconditions of connector classification.
1. According to the function of internal and external connection of electronic equipment, the level of interconnection is divided into 6 layers:
The first layer is the interconnection of component to package;
The second layer: the interconnection of the package to the circuit board;
The third layer: plate to plate connection;
The fourth layer: component to component interconnection;
The fifth layer: the interconnection of components to input and output interfaces;
Layer 6: system to system interconnection.
2. Classification by structure:
Board to board connector;
Board to line connector;
Wire to wire connector.
3. According to power classification:
Power connector (transmission power);
Signal connector (transmission signal);
High frequency connector (transmission data).
According to the shape classification:
Circular connector, mostly used in military equipment;
Rectangular connector is widely used and developing rapidly.
So to sum up, considering the technical development and industrial application of connectors and referring to relevant technical standards, connectors can be divided into five categories:
Rectangular connector;
Circular connector;
RF connector;
Optical fiber connector;
Non contact connector (such as proximity switch, etc.).
