Ideally, a product series with a broad variety of pin count options will be used. This will provide the vehicle manufacturer with greater design flexibility and enable more contacts to be accommodated within the available space. Automotive environments are challenging and the safety-critical nature of powertrain applications means that ongoing operational robustness is mandated. Any interconnect components employed will need to cope with vibrational forces and heavy shocks, as well as exposure to elevated temperatures. In addition, appropriate shielding mechanisms will need to be put in place to protect the system’s signal integrity from nearby sources of electromagnetic interference (EMI), while respecting the space and weight constraints that come with EV installation. To keep pace with current in-vehicle networking demands and enable rapid responsiveness, BMS interconnects must support high data rates. The deployed components should also be impervious to dust and liquid ingress that might otherwise impinge upon their performance. Effective mechanisms should be applied so that connector and cable retention is assured.
Another aspect that cannot be overlooked is production line assembly. The installation of interconnects at OEM facilities need to be completed within a very short timeframe. Under such circumstances, the likelihood of these components getting damaged becomes much greater. Designing protective features into them will make a huge difference. INTERCONNECTS OPTIMIZED FOR BMS INSTALLATION The high-reliability Archer Kontrol series of board- to-board connectors developed by Harwin is seeing large-scale uptake by EV manufacturers around the world, both disruptive start-ups and established global brands. These 1.27 mm-pitch components come in compact form factors and have a rugged construction. They are shrouded to protect their contacts against damage and have polarization features to prevent mis-mating. Numerous different pin count versions can be selected, with both vertical and horizontal configurations available. Advanced latching mechanisms are incorporated for greater mating pair retention.
The high contact densities these connectors achieve means that, despite their size, they can
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