With the rapid development of the automobile industry, all kinds of functional components and parts of automobiles are undergoing a development featuring intelligence, refinement and reliability. Therefore, higher requirements have been put forward for the structural design, appearance design and material of the automotive connector, and certain design standards have been established.
The contact surface of the automotive connector should always be reliable throughout its service life, which includes the following eight factors:
1. The material of the contact of the automotive connector is stable and reliable;
2. Stable positive force;
3. Stable voltage and current in the circuit;
4. The temperature shall be within the prescribed range, including the surrounding temperature and its own temperature;
5. It must be the same as the connectors used for high-speed and long-distance communication computers, and the automotive connectors must be able to work reliably under harsh conditions;
6. Insertion force of the connector: Less than 20.5kg;
7. Holding force of the connector: More than 2.5kg;
8. Heat resistance: -40 to 120℃.
A typical lightweight vehicle has about 1,500 connections, 50 to 60 percent of which are used for the critical function of power distribution. Automotive connectors are used in increasingly harsh environments, including the unfavourable temperature (as low as -40℃ and as high as 155℃), vibration, oxidation, and frictional corrosion, which shows the importance of overcoming design challenges.
In fact, it is not easy to do foregoing things. That most commercial electronic components fail will only make people frustrated. However, if the connection of key auto parts fails, the fire alarm, brake or airbag will consequently fail, leading to serious consequences.
Automotive connector manufacturers must identify and analyze physical and mechanical phenomena in the environment that may affect connector performance. In order to evaluate the stability of the connector, the connector manufacturer needs to implement an elaborate test program in accordance with the application conditions specified by the automobile manufacturer.
