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Customer application January 30, 2023

PCB Connections with a Lever: Keeping Up with Miniaturization

Today, both the line and signal levels are combined on the printed circuit board. The result: Higher power density changes the requirements for connection technology.

Everyone knows it from their computers: devices have become smaller and smaller in recent years. At the dawn of the millennium, the home PC filled the so-called Big Tower, which was over 60 cm high; over the years, the hardware has shrunk and today resides in notepad-sized housings that can be comfortably inserted into a pocket.

WAGO PCB Connection Technology with a Lever:

Intuitive: Tool-free, intuitive lever operation
Secure: Lever clearly locks into position (open/close)
Tool-free: Faster and easier wiring

The same applies to machine and industrial electronics, which are also shrinking steadily. Engine control example: Where previously space-intensive protective circuits were required, today the engine, transmission and converter form a compact, intelligent and powerful unit.

This development also affects the electronics used in drives or inverters. The separation of the signal level and the ever-decreasing installation space of printed circuit boards constantly move components closer together – with constant or even more connection power. This influences circuit board design and thus connection technology.

High Demand, Even for Small Components

PCB terminal blocks and connectors must be correspondingly compact and, at the same time, reliably transmit high currents. To withstand demanding conditions, for example, in the case of vibrations and temperature fluctuations, the components must operate reliably in conjunction with the printed circuit board. At the same time, electronics developers must be cost-conscious. Regarding connection technology, this means: The price plays an important role, but the components must also convince through construction and function to guarantee flexibility for the printed circuit board design and simplify use.

WAGO’s current PCB terminal blocks and connectors with levers are ideal for electronics developers. This includes terminal blocks for the nominal cross-sections 1, 5; 2.5; 4; 6 and 16 mm² for rated data up to 1,000 V and 76 A. The central core is the connection technology with push-in CAGE CLAMP®.

The spring clamp with push-in connection technology has been trusted for years, for example in rail-mount terminal blocks, pluggable connectors and PCB terminal blocks from the connection technology manufacturer WAGO and is regarded as a standard for secure and maintenance-free connection technology for all types of conductors in industrial and transport applications.

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Save Space on the PCB

In addition to connection reliability, the PCB terminal blocks and connectors offer the decisive advantage of saving space: they may generally connect solid and fine-stranded conductors up to one size larger in cross-section than their nominal cross-section dimension. In this way, for example, with power supply units, PV inverters, wallboxes or frequency converters, it is possible to operate in a higher power class with a fine-stranded conductor (10 mm²). For connecting a 10 mm² conductor, the 6 mm² PCB terminal block is sufficient; otherwise, a 16 mm² terminal block would have to be used. The space savings on the PCB is thus over 55%.

In particular, using a pluggable connector offers maximum user comfort. By pulling the plug-in connection, devices in areas that are difficult to access can be easily wired. Thanks to the lever, the connector can be easily wired in your hand, eliminating the need for a third hand to hold the connector and a tool.