#Terminal blocks download#

When selecting a terminal block, current ratings are paramount. Other styles have a stepped (tiered) design to save space and make it easier to access all wire receptacles even if one section of the block is already wired. Some safety-featured styles include dead-front wire receptacles that recess conducting elements into the plastic housing. Terminal block interfaces abound for connecting various DIN headers as well as flat ribbon headers, IDC connections, and other industry-standard cable ends. Recall that the D-subminiature connector is named for its distinctive D-shaped metal plug shield … perhaps most familiar for its inclusion on older consumer-printer cable ends. For example, one common interface might accept a 37-pin D-sub plug and connect it to a 38-position terminal block that holds the wires in their terminals with push-in contacts. In fact, the job of an interface block is to connect an array of wires from a power component to pre-engineered cable (sporting a specialty connector) from a controller or other low-signal component. Also called terminal block interfaces, these are identifiable by their inclusion of two connector types … with one usually taking the form of a very long receptacle array to accept separate discrete wires. That said, terminal blocks do come in multi-row banks for joining arrays of wires to circuits as needed.Ĭonsider the special case of interface blocks. Unlike other connector options such as DIN cable connectors, pin headers, D-sub connectors, and industrial socket connectors, a single terminal block typically makes only one (single pole) wire connection to the electronic circuit at hand.

Terminal blocks to serve as fuse blocks - in which two wires make a connection to a fuse for circuit protection.

Terminal blocks to serve as ground blocks - designed specifically to make connection to ground).

Terminal blocks for motor connections - including single-phase and three-phase motors for various industrial uses.

Terminal blocks for the transmission of I/O signals.Other more specialized terminal blocks include: General-purpose terminal blocks (sometimes simply called electrical blocks or wire terminations) are broadly applicable in myriad applications as electrical-connection termination points. Most all terminal-block designs provide reliable securing of wire as well as easy release of wire -to allow inspections, repairs, and replacement of wiring and attached components. Housed terminal blocks are most suitable for semi-permanent and permanent connections of signals and power … accommodating wire and cable sizes from the delicate 16 American Wire Gauge (awg) to what would be the logical equivalent of -7.5 awg - a beefy circular mil of 600 kcmil or MCM. Mounted on this DIN rail are terminal blocks and (in the blue housings) relays based on electromechanical action. Also refer to Design World sister site for more information on PCB terminal blocks - those that solder or otherwise mount to PCBs and connect thin-gage wires for low-voltage power and control applications between circuit-board components. Refer to the article on DIN-rail geometries for more information on the DIN rails onto which many terminal blocks mount. Some terminal blocks have contact pads or legs for connection to PCBs, but most are designed with their own housings for screwing onto machine frames, attaching to the sides of industrial electrical components, snapping into industrial rail and rack systems, or mounting to the inside walls of control-panel enclosures. They include electrically conductive assemblies having wire-securing receptacles - all encased in monolithic plastic housing. Terminal blocks are one variety of connector component for joining sections of electronic circuits in industrial applications.

#Terminal blocks download#

Download this article (and the rest in our connectivity series) at the Design Guide library.