Agenda 2025 *

In the field of electrical connectors, many terms from different specialist disciplines are used, the precise knowledge of which is of great importance in the co-operation between users and manufacturers. Terms such as contact overlap, relaxation, gas-tight connections or contact corrosion are frequently used, but not everyone is always familiar with their exact meaning. Especially when analysing and eliminating faults, it is important that the people involved in the conversation know which aspects are being discussed. The seminar explains the most important technical terms relating to electrical connectors. All relevant areas of mechanics, electrical engineering, materials science and qualification are covered. For each technical term there is a precise definition, a basic technical explanation and an explanation of the meaning of the term in the event of a fault. The aim of the basic seminar is to provide participants with a glossary at the end, which they can use to look up the various terms in the field of electrical connectors quickly and thoroughly.

The basic seminar introduces the basics of contact physics and explains important terms and the creation of physical quantities such as contact resistance, contact heating and derating. These phenomena are linked to the contact surfaces and the contact coating. The 'contact behavior' of a connector must be viewed as a system property that results from the interaction of the contact coating, the design of the connector, the electrical load, the requirement profile and the environment. The seminar is divided into the following sections:

• Contact physics fundamentals of the stationary contact 
• Measurement and simulation of contact surfaces and contact materials 
• Contact physics comparison of standard surfaces for connectors 
• Contact heating and derating 
• Fretting corrosion 
• Contact behaviour in relation to intermediate layers 
• Degradation mechanisms of connector contacts

Selecting the right copper and copper alloys is a challenging topic. For many developers/designers of connectors, it is not always easy to choose the right material, both technically and commercially. The seminar covers all the basics relevant to connectors and provides information on these semi-finished products, including excursions into mechanical properties, physical properties and a brief overview of the technically relevant surfaces with a focus on tin. The speaker also provides insights into the selection of the critical parameters, as well as the pitfalls that lurk here.

Cables and wires are essential for the transmission of electrical energy, data and signals that enable the operation of machines, devices and communication systems. The lecture explains important terms and the structure of a cable, including conductor, insulation, shielding and outer sheath, and explains technical terms such as "core", "strand" and "sheathed cable". The difference between data and power cables is also covered and the technical requirements explained. The selection of the right cable for different applications, based on temperature resistance, mechanical resilience and electromagnetic compatibility, is also discussed. Finally, current developments and future trends, such as highly flexible cables, environmentally friendly materials and intelligent sensors, as well as the effects of digitalisation and automation on cables and wires are presented. The seminar provides a comprehensive overview of the importance, structure and selection of cables and wires as well as future developments.

This calendar for connectors shows the relationships and compromises for the selection and application of connectors and provides the basic knowledge for understanding the properties and electrical data. The basics, material selection in production, physical characteristics, processing techniques and the resulting relationships for function and application are explained. The fourteen chapters cover:

• What is a connector
• Connector components
• Connection techniques
• Insulator materials
• Contact materials
• Contact surfaces
• Contact resistance
• Shielding measures
• Interlocking the connectors
• Housing and mechanics
• Power electronics
• High data rates
• Further processing in the process
• Connector selection

In the chapters, the differences are emphasised in detail and the advantages and disadvantages of the individual materials and manufacturing and application processes are presented, weighed up against each other and assessed. Both the application limits (current load at higher ambient temperatures) and the behaviour at the highest data rates are dealt with. The connector catalogue is not intended to be a shopping guide, but rather a compendium of the diversity of properties, designs and processing options. It shows, independent of the manufacturer, which alternatives are available and what the selection of certain characteristics entails, for better or for worse.

The seminar teaches the theoretical principles and laws of electroplating. Influences on deposition and a general process sequence for coating parts round off the theoretical basics. For the quality of the coating, many requirements of the base material, the product design and the choice of material must be fulfilled. These are covered in detail and, in addition to the surface properties and geometric requirements of the base material, the interaction between the base and coating materials is also explained. The functional significance, advantages and disadvantages of the coating metals used in connector and electrical engineering as well as current trends are discussed. The techniques of single-part electroplating, such as barrel, vibrobot and rack processes, are presented with the aid of films and the possibilities of coating are explained to the audience using product examples. The selective plating of individual parts completes the portfolio of bulk material plating. The differences and advantages of coil electroplating compared to single part electroplating then form the transition to coil coating. The special process sequence for coil plating is discussed again here and the various processes, such as dip, brush, strip and spot technology using films and various selective tools, are explained. In addition, the process-related tolerances and specifications of the various techniques are explained, as are the dimensional limits of strip electroplating technology. Process experiences and product examples from practice will support the lecture.

In particular, fire properties, thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of engineering plastics are discussed for the selection of materials for connectors, also using examples. The very different requirements resulting from the various markets (automotive, electrical, electronics) are taken into account.

After the presentation, the audience will be able to select the material that best fulfils the respective requirements from the large number of different types of plastic.

As electronics become more complex and interconnected, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) management is crucial to avoid electromagnetic interference (EMI) that can affect performance or cause malfunctions. Modern EMC measures include the control of EMC in high-speed circuits and power electronics as well as the optimisation of interfaces. The most important strategies include effective filter design with transient protection, optimised earthing and contacting to minimise impedances and consideration of the EMC behaviour of interface cables. The seminar shows how high-frequency interference arises and how it can be reduced at source. Measures along the transmission path up to the interface are also presented. Filter circuits with inductors, capacitors and overvoltage-limiting components play a central role here. The layout design is presented, taking into account impedance matching and signal propagation. Filter components are briefly explained and parasitic impedances and effects that influence filter functionality are discussed. Further applications are used to demonstrate filter topologies, earthing concepts and the selection of suitable components. The next step presents grounding concepts that have a significant influence on "EMC functionality". Housing shielding attenuation, connector contacting and cable shielding attenuation are discussed and important points are explained. The final section describes the structure of precompliance measurements for the interference emission of interfaces. The EMC concept of the device interfaces can be optimised through early testing so that the legal and performance-related requirements can be met - an essential factor in the development of modern electronic products.

What you will learn:

• Basics of statistics and measurement system analysis
• Basics and influencing factors of X-ray fluorescence analysis 
• Intervention options on the XRF device

Modern production is characterised by high quality standards combined with high throughput. It is not only necessary to optimise the production processes in terms of quality and throughput, but also the inspection and measurement processes. Measurement system analysis (MSA) provides valuable information and indications of possible optimisation measures for testing and measurement technology. As MSA is often requested and carried out anyway, recommendations for further optimisation can be derived without additional effort. However, this also requires an understanding of the interrelationships, which we would like to shed some light on here. For a better understanding, we will first go into the relevant basics of statistics and measurement system analysis. Influencing factors for the measurements with the X-ray fluorescence analyser are discussed and the connection with the MSA is established. Accuracy and scattering can be considered individually for an XRF analyser. This results in relevant conclusions for optimisation. The aim of the workshop is to enable you to carry out the optimisation shown on your measuring device.

What you will learn:

• IP protection types for water testing / Type testing versus routine testing
• Leak testing with compressed air during production / Adaptation of connectors
• Practical examples / Practical tips / Optimisation options

 Based on the basics of leak testing, this workshop presents a practical guide for leak testing different types of connectors. This will be supplemented by a number of practical tips for the practical realisation of the leak test.

A detailed description of the workshop will be available here shortly.

What you will learn:

• Basics of statistics and measurement system analysis
• Basics and influencing factors of X-ray fluorescence analysis
• Intervention options on the XRF device

Modern production is characterised by high quality standards combined with high throughput. It is not only necessary to optimise the production processes in terms of quality and throughput, but also the inspection and measurement processes. Measurement system analysis (MSA) provides valuable information and indications of possible optimisation measures for testing and measurement technology. As MSA is often requested and carried out anyway, recommendations for further optimisation can be derived without additional effort. However, this also requires an understanding of the interrelationships, which we would like to shed some light on here. For a better understanding, we will first go into the relevant basics of statistics and measurement system analysis. Influencing factors for the measurements with the X-ray fluorescence analyser are discussed and the connection with the MSA is established. Accuracy and scattering can be considered individually for an XRF analyser. This results in relevant conclusions for optimisation. The aim of the workshop is to enable you to carry out the optimisation shown on your measuring device.

What you will learn:

• IP protection types for water testing / Type testing versus routine testing
• Leak testing with compressed air during production / Adaptation of connectors
• Practical examples / Practical tips / Optimisation options

Based on the basics of leak testing, this workshop presents a practical guide for leak testing different types of connectors. This will be supplemented by a number of practical tips for the practical realisation of the leak test.

A detailed description of the workshop will be available here shortly.