What Are The Factors To Consider When Developing A Custom Connector?

Sometimes, the standard solution may not meet your needs, and unique applications and devices require special electrical connectors. However, electrical connector manufacturers and consumers now have many different types of connector options. If you can't find a product that meets your needs, you can use customized connectors.

Custom industrial connectors are specially designed and manufactured to meet your specific specifications. It can adjust the characteristics, performance, model, etc. of the equipment. It can not only make minor changes to the existing products but also create new products.

If you are interested in developing a custom connector, consider the following:

Complexity: sometimes custom connectors can use the design of existing standard power connectors and make minor changes. Sometimes it is necessary to have a completely customized and unique design and recreate new functions and design elements for customers' application equipment.

Size and shape: considering the width and length of the device, you can determine the applicable connector specific specifications. You can also design connectors with unique shapes according to the equipment.

Characteristics: the characteristics of the equipment shall be taken into account. Do connectors need to be used in harsh environments, and do strength and durability need to be prioritized? Is it necessary to include keying design function to prevent wrong pairing? Is connector mating critical (for example, will it be used in life and death critical medical devices for patients) ?

Production cycle: you may have realized that the length of connector manufacturing depends on the complexity of the design. If you're making minor changes on a standard connector, two weeks of delivery time, from the time the order is submitted to the time the product is delivered, it should be sufficient. If the product needs to have many unique features, it will be more difficult to produce, and you may need to wait three to five months.

Non-Recycling Engineering (NRE): each product needs to have a one-time research, development, design and test cost, that is, NRE. Like the production cycle, NRE depends on the complexity of the customized product. If the change is large, the cost will be high. If your budget is limited, discuss design requirements with the manufacturer to see if any cost-saving adjustments can be made.

Minimum order size: if you want to buy custom connectors, keep in mind that most companies have a high minimum order size (usually 100 or more), but there are also companies with a low minimum order size, so you may need to conduct some search surveys to find a company with more relaxed requirements.

If you can't find the type you need in a series of standard connectors, Sunkye can help to create your own custom connector! You may need to spend some extra time and money, but in this way, you can make sure that the connector matches your application perfectly.