The Truth About Push-Pull Connectors

by Global Interconnect Team | Feb 26, 2019 | Case Study

THE TRUTH ABOUT PUSH-PULL CONNECTORS

Cape Cod, MA – February 26th, 2019 – Global Interconnect Inc (GII) is proud to announce their new connector division focused on providing cost reduction solutions to medical and industrial Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s).

Much of the push-pull connector market is controlled by a few connector companies who were founded over 60 years ago. The invention of push-pull connectors in the late 50’s and early 60’s improved ergonomics and performance. These connectors were protected by patents for 20 years and only a few companies were competing for market share.

After the patents expired, other companies came out with knock-offs of the original designs. Prices dropped with the increase of competition, but risk increased due to poor quality.

It’s not surprising that design engineers feel comfortable choosing a “tried and true” brand name connector option. Yet as product lines and volumes grow, organizations are faced with increased pressure to reduce cost. With connectors often being a significant cost driver in most assemblies, it is logical that this critical component is at the heart of cost saving strategies, but not at the expense of compromising quality.

GII has been providing push-pull connector solutions to their customers for over 24 years. These customized solutions leveraged existing tooling while introducing custom aspects in order to achieve customer goals. With the introduction of a connector division, GII is focusing on developing push-pull connectors with simplified designs while maintaining backwards compatibility and quality. These designs will reduce the number of components, use application-specific materials and will be optimized for their customers unique performance requirements while third party industry testing will provide the confidence their customers demand to make the change.

Understanding Braided Cable Sleeving

Braided cable sleeves are a readily available off the shelf products made from woven yarn. They are designed to help organize wire, cables, and or tubing bundles. Manufacturers purchase cable sleeves on a spool through distribution and manually cut the sleeve based on device application. The internal components then slide down the sleeve manually. Cable ties hold the components in place to prevent translation during use.

Benefits of Braided Cable Sleeving Solutions
• No minimum order quantities for low volume manufacturing
• No need for capital equipment
• Highly flexible
• Minimal tooling

Disadvantages of Braided Cable Sleeving Cable Solutions
• High per foot cost
• Increased assembly time
• Difficult to clean
• Unable to insert mold
• Final product can be aesthetically displeasing
• Limited abrasion durability

Typical applications of Braiding Cable Sleeving Solutions
• Internal wire harnesses
• Low volume prototypes

Understanding Extruded Cables

Manufacturers extrude cables by bundling wires, cable, and or tubing to produce a continuous jacketed product. Once extruded, these long length cables become spooled for easy upstream handling. As a result of variety in cable layup, design, and material selection, extruded cables have a wide range of performance characteristics.

Benefits of Extruded Cable Solutions
• Low labor time
• Low per foot cost
• Wide range of material options
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Insert molded solution
• Durability

Disadvantages of Extruded Cable Solutions
• Minimum order quantities
• Capital equipment investments

Typical Applications of Extruded Cable Solutions
• End-user interaction
• Cleaning and sterilization
• Rugged environment
• Low-cost products

Global Interconnect manufactures cable assemblies utilizing both braided cable sleeves and extrusion techniques, which ever fits your application.