2022/02/28
-
Board to Cable Connectors
-
Cable to Cable Connectors
Experience, Reliability and Quality all Important elements with Connectors for Battery Management Systems
Background
The development division of the car manufacturer, the subject of this case study, was deciding which connectors to use on the battery management system (BMS) to be fitted to a new electric vehicle model it was developing. In the past, the connector selection process had been led by the battery manufacturer, but this time it was agreed that the car manufacturer should choose the connectors in the interests of optimizing performance. However, finding connectors of the right size that could deliver the environmental performance the market demanded was a challenge.
Challenges
Optimization Involved More Than Simply Finding Thinner and More Compact Connectors
The role of a BMS is to monitor the battery’s status to ensure it operates safely and efficiently. Demand for these systems, which are used in both electric vehicles and plug in hybrids, is currently growing. However, to minimize the weight penalty associated with additional systems and maintain interior space and comfort, the manufacturer needed to make the BMS lighter and more compact, and therefore needed to make the connectors used to connect the various modules thinner and more compact as well. At the same time, it was imperative that the system met stringent environmental requirements for temperature, humidity, and vibration.
The design engineer from the development team who was charged with selecting the connectors reflects.
“While traditionally the battery manufacturer had been in charge of selecting the connectors, this time it was agreed that we should handle the selection process to ensure optimum performance. First, we tested a few compact connectors offered by one of our suppliers, but none of them met our requirements. We anticipated a challenging selection process,” says the design engineer.
Because all the pairs of compact connectors the engineer tested had low mating force, he was concerned about their vibration resistance and ability to avoid discontinuity. In addition to ensuring that the connectors were compact and slim-line, it was also important to make sure that they had high mating force and good terminal retention. The supplier’s lack of experience with the automotive industry was a source of concern as well.
“Because the electric vehicle market is still in its infancy, there are still many outstanding technical issues. This means that when developing equipment, not only quality but reliability and track record in the auto industry are very important,” said the engineer.
Despite having been tasked with choosing the connectors, the engineer simply could not find a set of BMS connectors that satisfied all his client’s requirements. As the number of requirements increased, he was at a loss for what solution to use.
Solutions
JAE Offers Ideal Sizes for Compact Modules
In the course of gathering information, the design engineer heard about a European auto manufacturer that was using connectors manufactured by JAE. His interest piqued; he immediately made enquiries. He learned that JAE supplied connectors to many different automotive manufacturers and offered a large range of compact connectors. When he described the issues, he was experiencing with the new BMS application, the JAE representative suggested the MX77 series of connectors.
The MX77 series uses 0.4 mm terminals, which are ideal for miniature and slim-line housings, and testing has verified its terminal retention force to be about 50 N. The MX77 series connectors also offers all the performance required of automotive applications by making overheating-prone pins out of highly thermally conductive materials to reduce overheating. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing that he could use JAE connectors for the battery and BMS in confidence.
Without further ado, the design engineer built a prototype using the sample connectors provided, which he subjected to testing. As per JAE’s advice, the MX77 series scored highly in terms of both quality and performance.
“The MX77 series connectors satisfied all of our requirements. These connectors are also backed up by comprehensive documentation on their ability to reduce overheating. Feeling that they were more reliable than the other options, we decided to use JAE MX77 series connectors. We realized that by having JAE involved in the project from the upstream design phase, we would be able to resolve various connector-related issues early on,” says the engineer.
The company’s development is currently proceeding smoothly with support from JAE.
JAE’s Automotive Connector Solutions
Battery System Connector Solutions
Wide variety of connectors and meet various requirements.
Subject to change without notice. Errors and omission excepted.