On a quest to engineer electrical connectors that strike the perfect balance between quality, cost and performance, iCONN Systems Inc., took one of its top-performing product lines and made it more cost-effective. Introducing, plastic i12 connectors, the newest member of the i12 connector series.
Google “What is soldering?” and thousands of answers will flood your screen in less than 1 second. Consider this your quick and easy guide to soldering as it relates to electronics. Soldering is a fundamental technique in electrical manufacturing that fills two needs with one deed. First, it serves as a strong mechanical connection between wires and electrical components. Simultaneously, the solder material acts as a conductor that carries an electrical charge from one terminal to another.
Generally speaking, the act of soldering involves melting solder material over the top of a joint (e.g., between two terminals, wires or switches) to bond the two components and complete the electrical circuit.
Solder is not a glue, and soldering is not the same as welding or brazing. Though a fast, convenient method used to affix metal components permanently, soldering uses much lower temperatures than welding or brazing, which makes the technique well-suited for delicate electronic environments.
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining is a fully-automated manufacturing process akin to robotics. Instead of human operators who manually prompt and guide machines using levers, buttons and wheels, this technology uses pre-programmed computer software to command the speed, position and movement of factory tools with little involvement from humans. At iCONN Systems, CNC machining is the secret weapon behind our advanced rapid prototyping capabilities. Here’s how it works:
A wire harness is a specially-designed bundling system used to keep numerous wires or cables organized. Rather than manually routing and connecting every individual strand, wires are cut to length, bundled and clamped to terminal or connector housings to form a single piece. This compact, organized arrangement allows for drop-in installation to reduce labor time and human error, and enable technicians to fit complex wiring assemblies into small or hard-to-reach spaces.
Remember when ordering a product online meant never quite knowing when the package would arrive? Today, distributors like Amazon and UPS can tell you precisely where a package is in transit, what day it will be delivered, and even at what hour—all thanks to a technology you’ve probably never heard of: GLS tracking.
5s Manufacturing is like mixing feng shui and spring cleaning with other Lean practices to amp up productivity and safety while preventing time, cost and resource waste. Sounds a lot like a New Year’s resolution, doesn’t it? The methodology behind 5s manufacturing hinges on creating highly-visual, systemic workflows and maintaining work conditions to achieve the following goals:
The National Electric Code (NEC) is a standard set of rules for safe electrical design, installation and inspection. Every three years, the NEC makes necessary revisions to these rules to ensure that standards evolve alongside technology. One of those benchmark years is 2020. Today, we’re focusing on the significant changes impacting wire ampacity. Wire ampacity (a wire’s current-carrying capacity) can vary greatly depending on the application and exposure to ambient temperature. If miscalculated, the risk for cable failure, fire, and equipment damage increases exponentially.
It’s not a matter of if, but rather when will you start using waterproof electrical connectors. With our increasing dependence on technology, people expect electronic devices to go where they go. Connectors are under the constant pressure of meeting new expectations for data speed, miniaturization and durability. Most connector failures occur when a connector is not adequately designed for the environment in which it operates. Product developers no longer have the luxury of designing for one type of environment. Instead, they must consider every possible environment, whether it makes sense for the intended device application or not. Moisture can seep into the coupling and corrode contact pins, excessive temperature damages insulation, the mating mechanism fails to complete the required number of cycles, and numerous other issues can result. When it comes to extremes, only harsh environmental connectors can survive.
As the junction between an electrical source and your product, connectors are crucial elements that can make or break the user experience. They also happen to be highly susceptible to damage. If a connector will regularly or potentially be splashed, sprayed or submerged in water, the right mating components and overmolding must be in place to achieve an acceptable IP rating. Otherwise, moisture will get trapped inside the connector and corrode the shields and conductors, or cause impedance and shorting.
We see it all the time: An unsuspecting customer is promised a delivery date, only to find that their order form for connectors, sensors or cables got lost in the shuffle or deprioritized. Mega manufacturers may have the bandwidth to offer a more competitive price, but what good is the deal if they can’t hold up their end of the bargain?
At iCONN Systems, Inc., we never want to become too big to keep our promises. This isn’t just a notion we kick around from time to time. We scale our business in a way that always puts the customer front and center. Here’s how we’ve been able to assure quality products on time — every time.
The automotive industry is one of the most sensor-dependent in the market. Every automatic control, temperature reading, check engine light or seatbelt reminder is the result of advanced sensor technology. However, like the road beneath an $85,000 Tesla Model X with autopilot capabilities, people often don’t consider the means that allow such revolutionary technologies to reach their potential. Sensor technology may be one of the most essential components of an autonomous car, but without advanced cables and connectors to carry signals and data, this technology is practically useless.
