Modular connector interface enables compressed air delivery with thousands of mating cycles

HARTING has developed a new compressed air module to meet the increased demands on pneumatic interfaces in flexible production processes. The new Han® Pneumatic Module Metal uses robust, durable high-mating-cycle metal contacts that can be plugged and unplugged at least 10,000 times. It means that users can exploit the benefits of compressed air technology in frequently converted production facilities – in order to supply drive units, control units, brakes, holding and unloading units, for example. The new interface operates at a high maximum pressure: instead of the previous upper limit of 8 bars (for the Han® Pneumatic module with plastic contacts), contacts can now withstand permanent pressures of up to 10 bars. This means that the Han® Pneumatic Module Metal now covers the entire low pressure range, extending the possible applications for pluggable compressed air systems. HARTING has used flow simulations to minimise contact pressure loss. Pressure loss in the socket contacts with internal valves is now half that of conventional pneumatic interfaces. This innovation opens up new combination possibilities for pneumatics in modular connectors for high connection cycles (HMC). Electrical contacts for the transfer of signals and power can now be combined with contacts for the transfer of fibre-optic signals and compressed air in HMC connectors for the first time – saving users valuable build space and assembly time.