Category Archives: Industrial Components

Versatility for PCB in Standard Form Factors

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The ideal solution for embedded systems can be selected using universal housings from the UCS series. There are several things which need to be taken into consideration when selecting the universal housings, for example, the size of the PCB and how the PCB can be fixed into the enclosures as UCS series is characterized by a wide range of possible applications.

Things which can be offered:

UCS universal electronics housings have a modular configuration and enable easily adaptable solutions for almost all printed circuit boards in standard form factors. Hence, it is suitable for desktop, wall or DIN rail housings with a lateral length of 125 mm or 145 mm.

  • Material: Polycarbonate PC (UL V0)
  • Colors: Light gray (RAL 7035) or black (RAL 9005)
  • Depth: 47 mm and 67 mm
  • PCB Mounting: Fixed or flexible
  • Degree of Protection: IP40
  • Temperature Range: -40°C to +100°C

A custom interface is also one of the benefits which enable signals, data or power to turn into a single board computer and to a versatile electronics solution.

  • PCB terminal blocks and PCB connectors (wire-to-board)
  • PCB connectors (board-to-board)
  • M12 circular connectors
  • Data connectors for copper and fiber optics


Feel free to contact us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg to find out more!

10 Things You Need to Know about Fibre Optic LC Connectors

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Fibre optic cables carry information using light and it is only slightly thicker than human hair. It transmits data faster and further than a copper cable, but you probably already know this. Instead of going into details about fibre optic cables, we are going to show you 10 things you probably do not know about the fibre optic LC connector.

  1. LC stands for Lucent Connector, sometimes also known as “little connector”
  2. It is one of the smallest fibre optic connectors in the market. It is half the size of a Square Connector (SC) which is the most commonly used fibre optic connector in the market.
  1. Although both LC and SC are classified as push-pull connectors, LC uses latch locking while SC uses locking tabs.
  2. The introduction of LC wasn’t a bed of roses. Due to the high licensing fee, it was not well-received when it was first launched.

Source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=188267&picture=broken-piggy-bank

  1. However, due to the factor of its small form, LC had slowly gained its popularity in applications that requires high density connections.
  2. LC is usually used in high density patch panel. High density patch panel provides the flexibility for future expansion.
  3. LC is the preferred connector for single mode fibre optic cables. Single mode is able to transmit a higher bandwidth over a longer distance. However, it’s more expensive as compared to multimode fibre optic cables.
  4. Phoenix Contact new modular patch panels enable users to connect up to 72 LC duplex connectors to optimise the use of space within control cabinets.
  5. Phoenix Contact compact splice box FDX 20 allows users to connect up to 12 LC duplex connectors. It is also one of the smallest splice boxes in the market.

  1. Besides LC connectors, Phoenix Contact offers a full array of fibre optic products and accessories including patch cords, reusable connectors and tools.

To know more about our range of fibre optic products, feel free to contact us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg!

Grounding System Types According to IEEE Standard

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Grounding (Earthing) is a system of electrical circuits that are connected to the ground that functions when a leakage current can discharge electricity to the earth.

According to Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 142 ™ 2007, the purpose of the grounding system is to:

  1. Limit the amount of voltage to the earth to be within the allowed limits
  2. Provide a path for current flow that can provide detection of the occurrence of an undesired relationship between the system conductor and the earth. This detection will result in the operation of automatic equipment that decides the supply of voltage from the conductor.

Characteristics of an Effective Grounding System

Based on the IEEE standards, the grounding system is divided into:

  1. TN-S (Terre Neutral – Separate)
  2. TN-C-S (Terre Neutral – Combined – Separate)
  3. TT (Double Terre)
  4. TN-C (Neutral Terre – Combined)
  5. IT (Isolated Terre)

Terre originates from the French language and means earth.

The first letter is the connection between ground and the power supply, while the second letter shows the connection between ground and electronic equipment supplied with electricity. The meaning of each letter is as follows:

  • T (Terra) = Direct connection to ground.
  • I (Isolation) = There is no connection to ground (even if there is a high impedance)
  • N (Neutral) = Connection directly to neutral power supply cable (where this cable is also grounded in the power supply)

  1. TN-S (Terre Neutral – Separate)

In a TN-S system, the neutral part of the electrical energy source is connected to the earth at one point, so that the neutral part of a consumer installation is directly connected to the neutral source of electricity. This type is suitable for installations that are close to electrical energy sources, such as for large consumers who have one or more HV / LV transformers for their own needs and if the installation / equipment is adjacent to the energy source (transformers).

  1. TN-C-S (Terre Neutral – Combined – Separate)

A TN-C-S system, has a neutral channel from the main distribution equipment (power source) connected to the earth and earthing at a certain distance along neutral channels leading to consumers, usually referred to as Protective Multiple Earthing (PME). With this system, a neutral conductor can function to restore the earth fault current that might arise on the consumer’s side (instation) back to the power source. In this system, the installation of equipment in the consumer only connects the ground to the terminal (channel) provided by the power source.

  1. TT (Double Terre)

In the TT system, the neutral part of the electricity source is not directly connected with neutral earthing on the consumer side (equipment installation). In TT systems, consumers must provide their own connection to the earth, namely by installing an earth electrode that is suitable for the installation.

  1. TN-C (Neutral Terre – Combined)

In the TN-C system, the neutral channel of the main distribution equipment (power source) is connected directly to the consumer’s neutral channel and the frame of the installed equipment.

With this system, a neutral conductor is used as a protective conductor and a combination of neutral and earthing side frames of the equipment is known as a conductor of PEN (Protective Earthing and Neutral).

This system is not permitted for conductors less than 10 mm2 or for portable equipment. This is because if a fault occurs, then at the same time the PEN conductor carries the phase unbalance current and the third level harmonic current and its multiples.

To reduce the impact on equipment and living things around the equipment, then in the application of the TN-C system, the PEN conductor must be connected to a number of electrode rods for earthing on the installation.

  1. IT (Isolated Terre)

From the first letter (I) it is clear that, in this type of IT system, neutral is isolated (not connected) to the earth. The PE point is not connected to the neutral channel but directly connected to the earthing.

In its application, the neutral point of the IT system is not really isolated from the earth, but is still linked to the Zs impdedance which has a very high value of around 1000 ohms to 3000 ohms. This serves the purpose of limiting the level of voltage overload when there is interference in the system.

TT IT TN-S TN-C TN-C-S
Earth fault loop impedance High Highest Low Low Low
RCD preferred Yes N/A Optional No Optional
Need earth electrode at site Yes Yes No No Optional
PE conductor cost Low Low Highest Least High
Risk of broken neutral No No High Highest High
Safety Safe Less Safe Safest Least Safe Safe
Electromagnetic interference Least Least Low High Low
Safety risks High loop impedance (step voltage) Double fault, overvoltage Broken neutral Broken neutral Broken neutral
Advantages Safe and reliable Continuity of operation, cost Safest Cost Safety and cost

Feel free to contact us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg to find out more!

Barcodes

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Barcodes are machine-readable patterns that we see in most packaging for certain items. Especially today, when mass production is everywhere, barcodes are a big help to ease the production process.  The data contained within barcodes allow users to identify, inform, or can even be used for marketing purposes.

We see such images on the streets nowadays. QR-codes are used to market the company’s products, barcodes on all products we purchase; every one contains a lot of information. Have you ever wondered why there are so many different types, and why they are used in that instance?

Don’t be afraid to say that you do not really know much about barcodes or data capture technology. Most of us know barcodes from their experience in retail shopping where the linear barcodes stated on the item purchased will capture the correct pricing when it goes through the scanner.

Barcodes are more than just that. It is an impressive solution to workflow headaches and process slowdowns, and provides big data answers enterprise-wide. Each barcode provides real-time information, and it plays an important role in businesses. With over 40 different barcode types out there, each with a specific purpose, it can be a little confusing how to differentiate and understand each purpose.

Before we look at the different barcodes, you need to know that there are 2 main categories for barcodes, One-Dimensional (1D) and Two-Dimensional (2D) barcodes.

An example of a 1D barcode

An example of a 1D barcode

1D barcodes are called linear because the information placed is in a linear line, holding a dozen numeric or alphanumeric characters, represented by this spacing of parallel vertical lines.  The entire barcode needs to fit within the reader’s range to decode. They are found commonly on consumer goods.

An example of a 2D barcode

An example of a 2D barcode

2D barcodes are omnidirectional, and are able to contain large amounts of data both vertically and horizontally. Information is in matrix style and is highly secured. This type of barcode requires more sophisticated decoding software.

Here is a list of the common barcode types and where they are commonly used:

Code 128: This type of barcode is typically used in logistics, transportation and shipping industries. Code 128 is a versatile, high-density, variable-length barcode that can store diversified information as they can support letters, numbers and a variety of other ASCII characters. It complies with International Standard ISO/IEC 15417.

CODE 39: They are used to label goods across the automotive industry, defence department, and identification cards. Code39 barcodes are alphanumeric codes, that could only encode 39 characters (as the name suggests), which makes it less compact than Code 128. It complies with international standard ISO/IEC 16388

Codabar: Codabar is able to contain limited characters/numbers/symbols. It is an out-dated type of barcode used mainly in libraries, blood banks and overnight packaging industries. The main benefit is that it is easy to print and highly tolerant of minor printing imperfections.

EAN13: Worldwide usage in retail goods marking, and comply to International Standard ISO/IEC 15420. It encodes 13 characters, with the first 2 or 3 being country codes where the manufacturer is registered.

EAN-8: It is a shortened version of the EAN-13 code. It includes a 2 or 3 digit country code. The data digits in an EAN-8 symbol specifically identify a particular product and manufacturer. Since a limited number of EAN-8 codes are available in each country, they are issued only for products with insufficient space for a normal EAN-13 symbol. For example, a 2-digit country code permits a total of only 100,000 item numbers.

UPC-A: UPC stands for Universal Product Code. It is used for worldwide retail, and complies with International Standard ISO/IEC 15420. It identifies the manufacturer, and specific products, so that the register systems can automatically find the prices.

QR-Code: A matrix code that allows encoding of different characters, URL, music and images. This is frequently used to be scanned with smartphones.

After knowing the different types of barcodes, it is important to have a solution that can read and decode the information. Have you met cases where the barcode readers cannot capture the data, when barcodes are damaged, tiny, rubbed off or torn?

Phoenix Contact printing software allows you to print all the different barcodes, and the best part is… It is free!

At the same time, you do not have to worry about the printing process as Phoenix Contact printers ensure you have a seamless, clear printing process. Additionally, we assure you that as with all our prints, they are scratch proof, water proof, oil and chemical resistant! You will always have readable barcodes!

Want to find out more? Feel free to contact us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg!

5 Ways to Terminate Cables into an Electrical Panel

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There are several criteria when it comes to choosing the right cable entry method into an electrical panel, such as ingress protection (IP) rating, ease of connection/ disconnection, cost of the connector etc. In this post, we have sorted out 6 different cable entry methods that Phoenix Contact has to offer.

  1. Cable Gland

The most common way to terminate cables into an electrical panel would be to use a cable gland. It is easy to use and comes in many variants such as different sizes, materials and with additional certifications such as ATEX. Cable glands are probably one of the most affordable cable entry methods mentioned in this article.

However, cable glands have its limitations too. It is difficult and time consuming to do multiple connections/disconnections with cable glands as the cables are terminated directly into the components within the electrical panel. In addition, the pre-cut holes on the gland plate are irreversible. It provides limited flexibility for mistakes and modifications.

  1. Heavy-duty Connector

As the name suggests, it is rugged and enables fast and easy connection/disconnection to the electrical panel. Cables are prewired into the connector base, which is mounted onto the panel while the field cables are prewired into the connector hood. The hood is then plugged into the base on the electrical panel for a complete connection up to IP 69K.

Heavy-duty connector is especially useful for portable applications and testing facilities as it allows quick connection and disconnection. Although heavy-duty connectors are more expensive than cable glands, it minimises time and labour needed for onsite installation and commissioning up to 80%. It also reduces errors that could occur during onsite installation.

Heavy-duty connectors are typically made from Aluminium. However, Heavycon EVO from Phoenix Contact also comes in plastic (polyamide with reinforced fibre glass) to support applications that do not require metal housings and provides cost savings of up to 30%. Besides that, the dual entry cable gland enhances the flexibility for onsite installation. Phoenix Contact’s well known Push-in Technology is also used in Heavycon to further reduce the installation time.

  1. Cable entry system

Cable entry system (CES) is similar to cable glands. However, it helps to arrange the cables neatly and systematically into the electrical panel. By better managing the cables, the gland plate can be better utilised. It works in a modular form where the cable sleeves can be flexibly combined depending on the wiring. The slotted sleeves also allow the use of sensor actuator cabling while cone sleeves come in handy when the cable diameter is not predefined.

The cut-out of CES is the same as that of heavy-duty connectors. Thus, they are interchangeable. However, CES is not a pluggable connector. Thus, it is not suitable for applications that require frequent connecting/disconnecting.

  1. CES Multigate

Similar to CES, multigate offers great cable management. However, unlike CES, multigate has prefixed cable entry. Each cable entry is a cone-shape membrane that is able to accommodate a range of cable diameters. This is especially suitable for panels with defined cable specifications. As the cables are well arranged, it is easier to isolate faulty lines, if any.

  1. Service interface

Service interfaces make maintenance, servicing, and diagnostics easier than ever. The front plate comes in different configurations of D-SUB, RJ45 and USB, offering numerous combinations.  The mounting frame offers up to IP 65 protection with locking mechanism for extra security. This reduces the need to open up the panel during programming or configuration.

There are many factors to consider when it comes to choosing the most suitable cable entry method to your electrical panels. Let us help you with the selection by leaving us an email at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg!

IP Ratings

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I accidently dropped my phone into the water during my last swimming session. Luckily, my phone is waterproof and I studied the specifications. It is a smartphone with an IP67 rating. So what does IP67 mean? What do the two digits represent?

IP rating is known as Ingress Protection or International Protection ratings, which are defined to the international standard of IEC/EN 60529. IP ratings are used to define the levels of sealing effectiveness of the product against intrusion of dirt and water. The first digit indicates the level of protection against solid particles while the second digit represents protection against ingress of liquids.

First Digit

Level Protection against Description
0 – No protection against contact and ingress of objects
1 >50 mm Any large surface of the body, such as the back of a hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part
2 >12.5 mm Fingers or similar objects
3 >2.5 mm Tools, thick wires, etc.
4 >1 mm Most wires, slender screws, large ants etc.
5 Dust protected Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment.
6 Dust tight No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact

Second Digit

Level  Protection against Description
0 – No protection against water
1 Dripping water Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmful effect.
2 Dripping water when tilted up to 15° Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position.
3 Spraying water Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect.
4 Splashing water Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect.
5 Water jets Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
6 Powerful water jets Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
7 Immersion up to 1m Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion).
8 Immersion beyond 1m The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects.

With the information from both tables, we can now interpret the ingress protection of equipment. For example, a product with an IP66 rating means that the product is dust tight and protected against powerful high-pressure water jets from all directions.

IP rating is a critical parameter for industrial equipment that is intended to operate in dusty environments and are exposed to the risk of water ingression (outdoor application, offshore application, etc). In Phoenix Contact, we have several products that designed to fit into such extreme environments.

  • CLIPSAFE Enclosure

Phoenix Contact CLIPSAFE enclosure product range is IP66 rated, providing comprehensive protection for your application in harsh industrial environments. Thanks to the high quality sealing design, CLIPSAFE enclosure protects your equipment from the risk of dust and water ingression.

IPX6 All Directions Water Jets Test

IPX6 Water Jets Test

IP6X Dust Test

  • HEAVYCON Industrial Connector

With the combination of the robust IP66, IP67 and even IP69K (highest rating till date) rated HEAVYCON industrial connectors, we have a reliable housing that can connect the equipment within CLIPSAFE enclosures to external devices.

  • WLAN Module

Not a fan of wired communication?

Phoenix Contact offers wireless communication modules, which features protection up to an IP68 rating. It can be directly mounted on enclosures (CLIPSAFE for instance), providing a complete industrial solution with high IP protection.

DataTrab

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Better Sealing, better availability

In most cases, whatever we install inside a control cabinet, we are confident of its protection against external factors. This could be true if certain levels of sealing effectiveness were defined.

An example: Data SPD was installed inside the control cabinet, the gap between the housing and the RJ45 port is an easy entry point of foreign material or even an Insect. Thus, leading the SPD to immediate failure.

In comparison,

DATATRAB, DT-LAN-CAT.6+

Your advantages

  • Reliable transmission speeds of up to 10 Gbps
  • Protective adapter for eight signal paths via RJ45 connector
  • Suitable for category 6 high-speed data networks
  • Can be installed in a control cabinet.

Better sealing, no GAPS between housing and RJ45 port.

Marking Materials for Solar Photovoltaic Application

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With the implementation of large scale solar projects in Malaysia, there are more and more inquiries on special marking materials for cable marking, equipment marking, and plant marking that can withstand long hours of sunlight and harsh environments.

If you ever come across such a request from the project consultants or clients, Phoenix Contact marking materials are what you are looking for. We have various product offers that are UV-resistant and weather resistant, ranging from stainless steel to aluminium to high-quality thermoplastic polyether urethane.

Here are two examples of solar cable markers with different types of printing methods.

1) Stainless Steel and Aluminium markers:

Phoenix Contact LS-WMTB product range is available in stainless steel (V4A) or aluminium. It provides simple and fast installation with cable binders. This marker is suitable for the most demanding industrial requirements because it not only fulfils the harsh requirement in the solar industry, but it can also be applied in areas that require high resistance against salt water, chloride, and solvents.

With the use of modern laser technology, it creates highly resistant and permanent markings on these markers.

Examples of stainless steel cable markers

2) Polyether Urethane (PUR) markers:

An example of a polyether urethane cable label

An example of a polyether urethane cable label

Phoenix Contact WMTB HF range of product is suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. It is made of high-quality thermoplastic polyether urethane, halogen-free and flame-retardant material, with high tensile strength that is able to adapt to the bending of the cable conductors.

WMTB HF comes with an exciting selection of colours, from the commonly-used white, to yellow, red, blue, and green. Unlike the stainless steel marker, WMTB HF is printed using thermal transfer technology.

Other than the marking materials, Phoenix Contact also offers UV-resistant cable ties that work with the markers, as well as high quality printers with laser and thermal transfer technology. Please feel free to contact the Phoenix Contact sales team if you wish to know more about these products.

CBM – Protecting Your Application

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The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in manufacturing. The fundamental driving philosophy behind IIoT is to build smart machines. The emphasis is placed on the topic of big data, sensor information and communications.

With data captured across all processes, it has enabled companies to analyse and anticipate on inefficiencies and issues immediately, thus saving time and money.

Typically in a switching system, its core function is to control and switch various kinds of devices and machines.

What’s common to all of them is that the demands placed on the components are very high. When a machine is running 24/7, the chances of the machine breaking down is very likely. Hence, extra attention is needed to ensure availability of the machine operations. In any case of the machines breaking down, the operation must be restarted in the fastest possible time.

Phoenix Contact’s CBM electronic multichannel DC device circuit breakers offer extended protection against over load and short-circuit currents on the connected applications.

Thanks to the integrated nominal current wizard, setting the right nominal current for your loads is hassle-free!

The selected settings are locked electronically to prevent any risk of unintentional adjustment.

The integrated early preventative warning system ensures fewer failures.

In the event that 80% of the set nominal current of a channel is reached, a warning is indicated via the associated on board LED. Furthermore, the separate signal output can be used for remote signalling.

Thanks to the active current limitation, the upstream power supply can be used optimally. This enables the use of smaller switched-mode power supply units and prevents undesirable voltage dips.

So what are you waiting for?

Ensure that your operations are running continuously and without fault.

Sleep with ease tonight, every night.

Switch to our CBM Electronic Device Circuit Breaker!

An Answer to your Pain Point

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I believe everyone agrees with the statement: ‘There is no need to push your products to your customer. Solve their pain point’. This sentence resonates even more with me, as I was once a user of heavy duty connectors. I used this product so often that I have developed a love hate relationship with it. I LOVE it because of the convenience that this product has to offer, in terms of consolidating all wires from and into a panel. With this product, all the cables will be very organized, enough to make a person with OCD smile simply by looking at it. As for why I HATE it, it is the pain point that I am about to share.

The Art of Wiring

Before going into that list of HATEs, it is certainly useful to get the generic terms right. Otherwise everyone will start calling them their brand name, much like how I used to call them back then.

Housings and Base (with cable gland)

Housings and Base (with cable gland)

Contact Inserts

Contact Inserts

Pins/Sockets

Pins/Sockets

The NUMBER 1 in my list is definitely none other than the tedious procedure required to re-do the wrongly inserted pins/sockets. First of all, the incorrect pins/sockets have to be ejected out. This is when the ejector comes in handy, if and only if it is inside your toolbox. For my case, it was usually not inside my toolbox and I had to go through all sorts of hassle to get the pins/sockets out.

Push-in Connection Inserts

Push-in Connection Inserts

If you are a huge fan of Phoenix Contact, PUSH-IN technology is probably the most familiar term to you. YES, we incorporated that technology into our inserts and that made life easier for people like me. The only thing you need to eject out that pin/socket is just a screw-driver, or perhaps a pen.

So assume there is no wrong-doing in the wiring and everything goes smoothly until the day the panel is delivered to the end user’s place. During installation, you find that the space allocated for your panel is so limited. Worse, the space is not sufficient for the heavy duty connector because of the top cable entry direction. Squeezing it into the panel will result in over bending of the cable. This brings us to the number 2 in my list of HATEs.

Inter-changeable cable entry outlet

Inter-changeable cable entry outlet

With Phoenix Contact EVO series housing, this is no longer a problem anymore. All you have to do is just twist that cable entry outlet gland and face it to the lateral direction or vice versa according to your space constraints. It provides flexibility, allowing the user to interchange the cable entry between top entry and side entry without having to remove the entire cable from the housing.

The one last thing in my list is the lack of flexibility of the contact inserts. Imagine you have different types and sizes of cables and wires that you want to consolidate into/out of a panel. In addition to that, it is just a few of every type and size of cable that you do not require the whole 16 poles or 24 poles heavy duty connector. I experienced that before in one of my projects whereby the panel requires 5 units of 1.5mm2 cable, 3 units of huge power cables, 3-4 units of Ethernet cables and finally, a few pneumatics hoses. Due to such a “high mix low volume” scenario, I was left with no choice but to make several cut-outs on the panel in order to accommodate all these cables and hoses into the panel.

This is what team-work looks like

This is no longer a hassle if different types and sizes of cable can be accommodated into one single heavy duty connector, and this is the fundamental concept that brought us to the birth of modular contact inserts. With these revolutionary contact inserts, users can now choose different contact insert modules and assemble it into a frame to make it into a contact insert. As for the housing and base, you can choose to use the standard housing or the EVO series because they are both compatible.

The above are just my pain points about this product based on my experience and Phoenix Contact Heavycon offers the right solution to every hassle that I have with heavy duty connectors. I believe you too have other problem with your current heavy duty connector, so do contact us with your feedback or queries and we will solve that pain point of yours. Cheers!