Your Global Automation Partner
Connectivity
Design Considerations For
Harsh Environments
White Paper | W1019
Design considerations for as engineers, system designers and OEMs require
increasingly rugged solutions to maintain reliable
reliable connectivity in connectivity in harsh environments.
harsh environments
In response, connector and cable designs have
Moving industrial processing trailers to field evolved as connectivity manufacturers keep pace
locations places this specialized equipment in with these user and application demands. From
extreme environments, with exposure to wide innovative overmolded solutions to stainless
temperatures ranges, UV exposure and constant steel potted connector bodies, today’s products
vibration during transit. improve performance and are more convenient than
traditional field-assembled connectors.
In the face of these challenges, one oil and gas
trailer manufacturer noticed its connectivity This white paper discusses the key criteria
components were consistently breaking as part to consider in choosing harsh-environment
of routine transportation and installation. The connectivity products, specific design considerations
company needed to upgrade to more robust for automotive, mobile equipment and oil and gas
cables and connectors. applications, and best practices in choosing a robust
and reliable solution.
After surveying the market, the manufacturer
chose overmolded Deutsch connectors and a new
cable whose design withstands extreme heat and Factors that affect
cold, the chemicals of operation and exposure
to the elements. By doing so, the company
connectivity performance
was able to accelerate installation time of A number of factors influence how a connector or
the trailers and provide a more dependable cable solution preforms in an environment. Material
solution for its customers. selection and chemical compatibility are two leading
criteria because they can directly affect the integrity
This trend of replacing legacy connectivity of the solution for a specific application.
components continues to rise across industries,
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*FIGURE 1
Plastics are the primary material
used to protect connectors and Plastic Abbreviation Best use Not suitable for
cables from the elements of harsh Thermoplastic TPU Common oils, cutting fluids Alcohols, solvents
applications. The plastic material Polyurethane
that is used has a critical impact on
chemical compatibility, and variations Polyvinyl PVC Wide range of temperatures (-40°C to 105°C), Weld slag resistance,
have been developed for specific Chloride food and beverage environments alcohols, solvents
uses (*figure 1). For example, certain
materials can withstand very cold Polybutylene PBT High temperatures Caustic materials
Terephthalate
temperatures without cracking, while
others resist high temperatures that
Polypropylene PPRO When caustic materials are present, High temperatures,
would compromise another washdown environments UV exposure
plastic’s integrity.
Thermoplastic TPE Welding applications, Solvents, greases
Overmolded connectors are Elastomer alkalines, alcohols
recommended for demanding
applications because of their
reliability and robust construction. For these applications, there are connector
These solutions are more than simple plastic options that utilize a stainless steel housing filled
housings. Instead, they insulate and protect all with potting material. This type of solution provides
the connection points between the cable and the improved mechanical strength and can still hold
connector against ingress. These fully assembled up well in applications with highly caustic chemicals.
products are also factory tested and provide ease There are also versions of this connector that allow
of installation and improved performance. for additional hazardous location approvals. With
stainless steel connector bodies, grade 316 stainless
With the different plastic material options available, steel offers the best option for durability in harsh
there are overmolded connector solutions to industrial environments. Grades 303 and 304 can
withstand most chemicals in harsh applications. be more susceptible to corrosion with highly
However, some applications can be so demanding caustic chemicals.
that a plastic overmolded body may not offer
enough protection. Once materials and chemical compatibility are
taken into account, engineers can review the next
layer of specifications: ingress protection, vibration,
temperature and pull strength. These specs support
a solution’s reliability.
Ingress protection
Ingress protection ratings, commonly referred to
as IP ratings, demonstrate a product’s ability to
resist environmental pollutants like dust and water.
They are standard ratings set by IEC, NEMA, self-
certification and other industry standards.
Engineers should look for a minimum of IP65
protection on cables and connectors used in
Complete assembled connectivity packages can provide trusted solutions in
demanding environments. harsh applications. This ensures no penetration
Turck Inc. | 3000 Campus Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55441 | T +1 800 544 7769 | F +1 763 553 0708 | www.turck.com WP 04/2017 | 3
of dust or jet water. IP69K is the highest level of
ingress protection offered, ensuring protection When sourcing a connectivity solution, a supplier
against dust and water at high pressure. It is ideal will ask a series of questions like the ones below to
for food and beverage applications, and better understand the application and how it may
washdown environments. affect a connector or cable. Assembling details
about your application in advance can accelerate
this process. Depending on the complexity of the
application and environmental factors, a supplier
may travel to see the application in person or
recommend a custom solution to provide the
best performance.
■■ How would you describe the application?
■■ What chemicals are present, and at what
percent dilution?
■■ How exposed will the product be to these
chemicals, and how often? Will the product be
submerged, splashed or wiped down?
■■ Are explosive or hazardous gases or vapors present?
■■ What temperature or temperature range is typical?
■■ Will the cable flex?
Vibration ■■ Is vibration and shock a factor? What frequencies
or G-forces will be seen on the connectors?
Vibration can threaten to disconnect the coupling ■■ Is there opportunity for impact on the cable
feature of a connector and disrupt data transfer or connectors?
through the connector. To withstand this hazard, ■■ What’s the current and voltage?
the design and quality of connectors, contacts ■■ Is this an indoor or outdoor application? Are
and cable is critical. sunlight, UV and/or water exposure possible?
■■ What IP ratings are required?
To prevent a connector from coming loose, the
connector design must have special features that
maintain engagement even at high shock and Temperature
vibration. The contact design must prevent the
mating interface from intermittent connections The temperature of an application can affect
or damage by vibration. performance if the right material isn’t in place.
Extremely cold temperatures can crack cable jackets
The contact materials and plating are another or plastic connector bodies, and some materials will
critical element for strength, durability and electrical break down over time in very hot environments.
performance. Some criteria to look for in the most
robust connector and cable products include: For the best-fitting solutions, look for connectors
and cables whose rated optimal temperature ranges
■■ Machined contacts, instead of stamped or formed, meet those of the application. Don’t forget to take
for better performance into account potential issues caused by fluctuating
■■ Gold plating, instead of tin plating, for better temperatures. Rapid temperature fluctuations
electrical properties can result in pressure changes, which can pull
■■ High-stranded wires, instead of solid wires or in moisture. This ingress can create electrical
minimal stranding, for best cable flex performance issues. If the application is
Turck Inc. | 3000 Campus Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55441 | T +1 800 544 7769 | F +1 763 553 0708 | www.turck.com WP 04/2017 | 4
susceptible to rapid temperature changes, Advances over the past few years have transformed
be sure to choose a suitably rated product. commonplace Deutsch connectors into robust
overmolded solutions that stand up to vibration
Pull strength and ingress. These can be used outside the cab
to improve connectivity where moisture and the
Cables and connectors can experience a lot of force elements have historically caused repeated failures.
in industrial environments, from getting bumped They’re also protected during cleanup and washing.
during operation to serving as improvised step
ladders. A product’s pull strength indicates how Vibration issues can also be solved through
well a connector will hold up to these forces. correct installation. If connectors and cable aren’t
mounted down properly, they can end up floating
A good bond between the plug body and cable as machinery runs, leading to connection failures.
is one indicator that a product is likely to exhibit Installation is another area where overmolded
strong pull strength. An additional feature to look connectors excel. Companies have run timed studies
for is that the back of the coupling nut is extended to determine if overmolded or in-house, hard-wired
over the connector’s plug body. This allows any assembled solutions work better for an application.
angular forces to be absorbed between the plug While overmolded products may cost more from an
body and coupling nut, and not directly on the upfront material standpoint, the companies found
wire to contact terminations. their overall cost of operation was reduced
because these products required less time
and effort to install.
Improving connectivity for
Oil and gas applications face similar outdoor
automotive, mobile equipment environmental challenges as mobile equipment, but
and oil and gas applications also involve caustic chemicals in drilling muds and
the potential need for hazardous location approvals.
With exposure to temperature fluctuations, the
outdoors and heavy duty use, mobile equipment Hazardous location approvals ensure a product
and oil and gas industries offer unique harsh- is safe to use in hazardous locations. Oil and gas
environment challenges. In automotive companies are increasingly looking for more
applications, specific obstacles include international approvals to ensure global safety
welding, metal forming and metal stamping. compliance and streamline product inventory.
For example, a cordset with both ATEX and IECEx
approvals can be specified for use not only in North
America, but across Europe and other continents.
Related to ATEX and IECEx connectivity products,
field-assembled solutions are still most commonly
found in process automation and oil and gas
applications; however, some manufacturers now
offer fully assembled cable solutions. Because all
elements come assembled and factory tested, the
products reduce the risk of miswiring while also
accelerating installation time and reducing labor.
Automotive manufacturing environments include
Overmolded Deutsch solutions increase longevity and can provide superior
performance over standard connectors. some of the more challenging, heavy duty
Turck Inc. | 3000 Campus Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55441 | T +1 800 544 7769 | F +1 763 553 0708 | www.turck.com WP 04/2017 | 5
connectivity applications. As parts are welded
together and formed or stamped to shape, cables
and connectors must be able to withstand the
specific demands of these processes.
Material selection is one of the best criteria to use
when narrowing the field of options for cables and
connectors in automotive operations. TPE plastics
are ideal for welding applications because their
composition is resistive to pitting commonly caused
by weld slag. For metal forming and stamping, TPE
and TPU cables are best choices because they hold
up to common cutting fluids and oils.
Robust solutions improve
connectivity in harsh environments
Harsh environments present some of the most
challenging circumstances for connectivity,
from water or caustic chemicals to vibration and
temperature. It’s critical to take into account key
factors like materials and chemical compatibility,
and understand how an environment interacts
with a product. By relying on these best practices,
engineers can choose a reliable and robust solution
that resists harsh environments and solves their
application challenges.
Turck Inc. | 3000 Campus Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55441 | T +1 800 544 7769 | F +1 763 553 0708 | www.turck.com WP 04/2017 | 6
