Breakthrough new flat cable and connector system

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 14, 2001

Selectronix has a new flat cable and connector system - Methode - which overcomes the disadvantages of traditional flat-conductor, flat-cable systems

Selectronix has a new flat cable and connector system which overcomes the disadvantages of traditional flat-conductor, flat-cable systems.

The new patent-pending Methode system is less expensive, easier to terminate (even in the field) and uses easy-to-install connectors available in virtually any configuration.

It is ideal for a wide range of low-voltage DC power and low-voltage, low-frequency AC signal distribution applications.

Typical markets are white goods, industrial controls, office equipment, aviation systems, automotive environments, or anywhere a very thin, highly-reliable cable or electrical bus is needed.

The breakthrough in Methode's flat-conductor, flat-cable system is the method by which the insulation is applied to the conductors.

Previous similar systems used adhesive to bond the insulation which then needs to be ground off when making a termination - an expensive, delicate, and time-consuming activity, and impossible to do in the field.

By contrast, Methode's new flat-conductor, flat-cable system uses a unique manufacturing technology in which the conductors are not glued.

As a result, the insulation can be simply stripped off with mechanical or thermal strippers.

This dramatically reduces installation costs.

This new cable is combined with Methode's new IDC-type connectors to create a cabling system which is even thinner than ribbon cable, yet offers higher conductor counts and better mechanical reliability for powering moving systems where the cable must flex repeatedly.

The connector design allows for quick and easy mass termination using only an arbor press (or pliers in a field-service environment).

The connector itself becomes the termination tool, with no need for special preparation of the cable beforehand.

The cable is automatically aligned and the connector acts as a strain relief once installed.

Connectors can be designed to mate with virtually any existing connector or header, They can also be configured to splice two wires together, creating a bus system.

Even with all these advancements, Methode's new connectors are compatible with the old-style, adhesively- bound flat-conductor, flat-cable systems.

The flat-conductor flat-cable itself is available with conductors ranging from 18 - 28 AWG, or any mix thereof, and conductor pitches ranging from 2mm to 6.4mm or wider.

Conductor counts can range from as few as two, to as many as will fit in a 140mm (5.5-in) wide cable.

Electrical characteristics include a maximum operating voltage of 250VAC and a dielectric strength of 1500VAC.

Most solutions using this system will be custom designed, so typical pricing is impossible to define.

However, for a 10-conductor cable with 26AWG conductors, approximate pricing is ?0.15 per metre per conductor, depending on quantity, insulation and plating choices.

A standard 10-conductor 2.54mm pitch wire-to-board connector is priced at approximately ?0.28 each in quantities of 50,000.

Design-in assistance and technical backup is provided by Selectronix.