Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Tips On Selecting Connectors

By Design World Staff | April 17, 2012

There are dozens of connector varieties and thousands of individual connectors, so even an experienced engineer can find it difficult to select the right connector for the job. Fortunately, connector confusion can be minimized by gathering information based on four key technical factors.

Connector Data

There are many types of connectors and it can be difficult to select the right one for each application. While they add a small premium to the initial cost of cabling, they will pay for themselves if they eliminate a few minutes of downtime on a busy production line.

–Number of contacts: The number of contacts in the connector should match or exceed the number in the cable. But one common mistake is to miscount by not considering the ground. Cable conductor counts typically include ground while connectors do not.

–Wire gauge (awG): The cable wire gauge needs to be within the allowed range of the connector contacts. In general, screw contacts will accommodate a broader range of wire gauges than comparable crimped contacts.

–Cable outside diameter (OD): This fundamental piece of dimensional information is too often overlooked during the specification process. Forgetting OD can have serious consequences. If the OD of the cable is too small relative to the housing, a poor seal will result, creating a performance issue. If the OD is too big, the cable may not fit in the housing easily or at all, creating a potentially costly installation issue.

–Maximum voltage and current: Double check to make sure the application’s voltage and current are within the rated capacity of the connector. For safety, this is the cardinal rule of specifying connectors.

Taken together, these factors determine whether the connector will function as a true extension of a given cable. It’s important to emphasize that all four factors must be taken into consideration. A connector, for instance, may meet the requirements on a number of contacts, wire gauge, and outside diameter, but not satisfy the application’s current or voltage requirements.

The four key connector factors should be thought of as a starting point. They don’t capture the effects of difficult operating environments or unusual electrical requirements. But, they will help you quickly narrow the otherwise overwhelming fied of connector products.

Jack Gayara
Connector Product Manager
Lapp USA
Florham Park, NJ

LappUSA
www.lappusa.com

You Might Also Like


Filed Under: Fastening + joining, Connectors (electrical) • crimp technologies
Tagged With: lappusa
 

LEARNING CENTER

Design World Learning Center
“dw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Design Engineering Professionals.
Motor University

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Widening the scope for machine tool designers with FORTiS™ enclosed encoder
  • Sustainability, Innovation and Safety, Central to Our Approach
  • Why off-highway is the sweet spot for AC electrification technology
  • Looking to 2025: Past Success Guides Future Achievements
  • North American Companies Seek Stronger Ties with Italian OEMs
  • Adapt and Evolve
View More >>
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Control Engineering
  • Consulting-Specifying Engineer
  • Plant Engineering
  • Engineering White Papers
  • Leap Awards

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. We share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.