M12 Connectors
By - Karishma Katrat

Ideally, your connectors perform to their rated lifecycles. If you install a connector rated for 10,000 mating cycles, you expect it to go that distance. But if you’ve ever had a cell phone charger stop working correctly, you know that’s not always the case. And for industrial machinery, improper designs and other factors can cause connectors to fail prematurely, which can cause costly machine damage. Here’s a look at some common causes of failure and how to prevent them.

Improper design and installation

If an application will experience shock, vibration and other damaging motions, it is important to find secure designs that create a strong latch. If not securely mounted, the connector contacts, the mating shells and even the cable could suffer damage. 

Improper selection

Environments where there may be moisture ingress require special connectors. If a standard connector is used in place of one with an IP68 or IP69 rating or a hermetic design, water can cause the connector to fail. Choosing an undersized connector can also reduce efficiency, thus making the connector work harder to keep up with demand. This will decrease connector life.

Wear and tear 

Like the example above, repeated connection and disconnection of a connector can cause the metal on the contacts to wear and corrode if exposed to water, dust, dirt and other harsh elements. As a result, the mating pins may not properly engage when inserted into the connector shell. Always choose connectors rated for the required mating cycles you will need.

Extreme temperatures

If connectors are not rated for extremely high or low temperatures, they will eventually fail. If not rated for high temperatures, the insulation fails, and conductivity will also spike. If operated at continued high temperatures, these spikes will add to the temperature elevation, which can cause corrosion and eventually, reduced contact force. This can impact the electrical signal traveling through the connector and cable assembly, which in turn can create an open circuit.

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