Power on board – competence connects

PCB manufacturer Häusermann and Weidmüller have agreed to work closely on the specification of connection solutions for power electronics – thus enabling lower project costs and shorter time-to-market in design-in processes.

Power electronics makes big demands of electronic sub-assemblies: not only do the device generations need to be ever smaller, more powerful and more economical, but the connection technology is also increasingly challenged; it has to reliably transfer high currents and ensure a mechanically stable connection to the PCB. At the same time, usage and handling should become easier. The integration of PCB competence and know-

how in connection technology to a holistic approach, therefore, acts as a key to greater efficiency and performance.

Solution packages from a single source

Over the entire design-in process – from sub-assembly design, production and processing up to the final product – the competency partnership between Häusermann, a leading European PCB manufacturer, and Weidmüller assures simplified communication and an optimised complete technical solution. Special emphasis is placed on efficient implementation based on Häusermann’s HSMtec PCB technology and Weidmüller’s device connection technology OMNIMATE Power.

From the specifications sheet through development and design up to approval and series production, the

Solution packages from a single source: Developers will benefit from the combined technology know-how of the partners Häusermann and Weidmüller

project expense and time-to-market are significantly reduced with the integration of the high-current PCB and connection system. Questions in the coordination process may be answered mutually and promptly on the basis of numerous reference designs.

Practical solutions for practical applications

Typical examples are intelligent power applications, such as motor controllers, inverters or smart meters. The digital electricity meters store the consumption data at regular intervals in real-time and can be read remotely. They should also quickly promote the expansion of Smart Grids.

This, in particular, calls for PCB technology able to combine currents up to 150 A with intelligent control and communication electronics. HSMtec permits the simple integration of large cross-sections in the form of copper profiles in standard multilayer PCBs, whereby additional components such as busbars or leadframes are not required, hence saving costs and space.

The PCB connection components of the OMNIMATE Power range from Weidmüller provide the optimum complement to the PCB. The PCB terminals in a grid size of 6.35 mm and a power range of up to 150 A in a grid size of 15.00 mm allow unrestricted use of up to 600 V as per American approval UL 1059 or 1000 V (IEC standard). Reference designs for the associated HSMtec high-current PCBs from Häusermann allow rapid and straightforward implementation of the layout for the project-specific requirements of a wide range of performance classes and wire-connection methods.