EPIC® HBE connectors and SKINTOP® cord grips
are used on a control panel, providing quick disconnect when it
is necessary to move or relocate a machine.

Twenty years ago, machines were installed in the manufacturing plant, and they were not moved. The maintenance engineer would run metal conduit from the cable tray to the machine and hard wire the cables to the control panel internally. Today, the cables do not have to be run in metal conduit due to new NEC codes, nor do they have to be wired internally due to the quick connectorization processes that are available.

The "plug and play" phenomenon is unique and is a growing trend in the manufacturing/design environment. Due to the advancement of technology, new equipment is being designed to replace manual labor and to have a more precise workmanship tolerance. The equipment is smaller and faster, especially in automation or robotics applications. When there is a failure, the top priority is to get the equipment working as quickly as possible and avoid downtime. The time that a machine is down reduces the production output and cuts into the profit margin of the product line and the company.

There are many different types of plug and play assemblies that can be addressed in many types of applications.

Before determining plug and play assembly that will fit the application, know the type of motion the system is going to be using, and the accompanying equipment. Three types of motion will dictate what types of cables are to be used in the application. They include Static, Continuous-flexing and Multi-axis. When designing an assembly, an engineer does not want to add additional cost to the project, but also ensure that a failure does not occur.

The main purpose of plug and play is to get the manufacturing equipment moving and operating as quickly as possible. This is done by using the proper cables, the precise connectors for quick terminations and the use of diversified accessories required.

An assembly used in a static application.
These assemblies are usually transmitting power, data, temperature controls or some type of communications signals between electrical equipment and power sources. The example shows a plastic extruder that is doing all of its communication and interfacing from the main control panel to the machine on the factory floor. Using the rectangular connectors and strain relief, they can do quick termination from the outside of the machine and do not have to be hard wired internally. To avoid vibration or any mechanical stress between the machine and the assembly, the base is mounted on a machine with a double-lever latching mechanism.

An assembly used in a dynamic application.
Some machinery uses cable track assemblies for movement in a linear motion. The size of the cable track can vary, and weight has to be distributed evenly. The cables used for these assemblies must withstand linear motion movement and tight bend radii. Accessories that are associated with cable tracks are air and hydraulic hoses to transmit pneumatics to the equipment. A wide variety of connectors is available that will allow a quick termination on both sides of the assemblies.