Eaton has been chosen by a serious international automaker to produce its Excessive-Energy Lock Field SQ8 connector system for a brand new plug-in hybrid EV platform, marking the primary deployment of the SQ8 configuration in a hybrid software.
John Romain, product administration director for Eaton’s Mobility Group, mentioned the system represents a major development in terminal expertise. “The HPLB SQ8 connection system is a leap ahead in terminal expertise,” Romain mentioned. “We’ve designed a power-dense, compact and ergonomic answer that delivers efficiency similar to bolted connections – with out the necessity for specialised instruments or excessive insertion forces. It’s a game-changer for electrified automobile platforms.”
The SQ8 variant builds on Eaton’s connector expertise designed for harsh environments and high-current purposes. The system includes a patented, inverted terminal contact design engineered for electrical efficiency and sturdiness below excessive temperatures, vibration and mechanical stress.
In contrast to conventional terminals that depend on copper for each conductivity and spring stress, Eaton’s design makes use of a stainless-steel spring to keep up contact drive and a copper present service for conductivity. This structure is meant to stop mechanical leisure and failure frequent in high-vibration EV environments.
Testing and benchmarking towards competitor information confirmed the HPLB SQ8 terminal delivers 25 to 35 p.c enchancment in current-carrying functionality for a given wire dimension. The system additionally supplies 30 to 60 p.c extra present per unit of quantity, which may scale back automobile platform weight and enhance energy distribution effectivity.
The connector system can carry as much as 270 amps of present with minimal resistance loss, making it appropriate for battery disconnect models, high-voltage heaters and propulsion techniques in electrical, hybrid and business automobiles. The system makes use of a tool-free push-click-pull mating course of that gives safe connections with simply 70 newtons of drive, eliminating the necessity for mechanical levers.
Key specs embrace compatibility with 25 to 70 sq. millimeter wire gauges, versatile 90-degree and 180-degree terminal orientations, and eight spring-loaded contact factors. The system operates at temperatures as much as 125 levels Celsius and consists of QR-code-enabled half traceability.
The HPLB connector household was initially launched in business truck platforms and electrical automobile purposes. The four-contact SQ4 variant has seen area use, whereas the SQ8 is now out there for heavy-duty pickup vans, battery disconnect models and different electrical automobile purposes.
Romain famous the system’s scalability for future purposes. “HPLB is future-ready,” he mentioned. “It meets at the moment’s high-voltage, high-durability calls for – and it’s already positioned to scale throughout the following technology of electrified platforms.”
