Industrial connectivity specialist HARTING looks back at the early development of its popular Han range of connectors and how consistent connector innovation and expansion has helped customers keep pace with industrial transformation.
The HARTING Technology Group has been established for over 75 years and is a leading global supplier of industrial connectivity technology. The company is probably best known for its Han range of connectors, which have been supplying industry with the three lifelines of data, signals and power since 1956.
The Han (meaning HARTING Norm) connector was patented in 1956 and officially registered as a trademark in 1957. Into the 1960s, the production of Han had increased to encompass products for various voltages and currents, meaning all areas of industrial application could be catered for.
Over the following decades, the Han range continued to expand alongside the demands of industry, ensuring customers had the correct solution for their needs.
In 1993, HARTING launched Han-Modular, a direct response to the increasing modularisation of mechanical engineering. This innovation allowed contacts for the transmission of different media, such as data, signals, power and compressed air, to be placed side by side in a housing with the aid of a mounting frame. This meant customers could optimally design solutions for the supply of machines and systems using connector housings in standard sizes.
HARTING also launched the Han Configurator, an online 3D tool that allows designers to build modular connectors. The smart assistant feature suggests alternative interfaces and provides an onscreen 3D visualisation of the current configuration, meaning customers can view their creations from a range of angles. It’s also extremely easy to download all documentation (including STP files) and share configurations within a team.
The development of Han-Modular improved the flexibility of the range, opening up applications and opportunities in new markets. For example, the increased contact density and option for signal and power transmission made it perfect for robot controller cabling, whilst the modular aspect was ideal for wind turbines, as their components are manufactured in different locations before they are joined together on site. Han-Modular is currently used in generators, pitch control systems and wind tracking, as well as transmitting power, data and signals from the nacelle to the rotor hub.
Some 30 years on from the launch of Han-Modular, the next development stage of the modular connector is upon us with the new Han-Modular Domino range, which offers significant improvements for machine building thanks to space savings of up to 50%, compared to existing designs.
Just as dominoes have two separate squares, a domino module is made up of two building blocks or ‘cubes’. The Han-Modular mating face is divided into two, resulting in an almost square surface in which even larger contacts can be accommodated. These cubes allow users to configure customised connectors which are exactly tailored to their design requirements. Power, signal, data or compressed air can now be combined in one module, reducing the total number of interfaces required.
With the addition of the new Domino range, there are now over 250 modules to choose from, and many thousands of potential combinations are available, increasing design flexibility. The new Domino modules are also compatible with standard components of the Han-Modular series, so they can be easily integrated into existing systems and machinery.
That brings us up to date with the Han story so far, but as the HARTING slogan ‘Pushing Performance’ suggests, the ongoing challenge is to constantly innovate and help push developments further.
