Weidmüller showcases new SNAP IN technology at Drives & Controls

On Stand H120 at Drives & Controls 2022, Weidmüller will be showcasing its new SNAP IN technology – the AS-Series – along with the intuitive yet powerful Weidmüller Configurator Software (WMC) and the Weidmüller Wire Processing Centre (WPC), which it says dramatically reduces wiring time for control panels. Other key themes on the stand are Industrial Ethernet and automation which Weidmüller is supporting with its eco-line and u-mation portfolio and OMNIMATE 4.0 SNAP IN modules – a system for building connectors for data, signals and power.

The AS-Series Klippon Connect terminal blocks with SNAP IN connection technology can be used to wire flexible conductors quickly, simply, with no tools and without the need for wire-end ferrules. The conductors are simply plugged into the connection point and the mechanism clamps the conductor with an audible click. The SNAP IN technology guarantees a long-term secure and reliable connection – even for the increasingly automated wiring processes of the future.

The AS-Series is already integrated into the Weidmüller Configurator (WMC) software which allows users to design terminal rails quickly and easily, selecting from a wide range of components and simply dragging and dropping them into place. Intelligent software assistants guard against errors and help to optimise the design, while 3D viewing makes it easy for users to ensure that the finished assembly will fully meet their requirements.

When the design is complete, it can be sent directly from WMC to Weidmüller’s FDS (Fast Delivery Service). Weidmüller says this streamlined process, based on the WMC software and the FDS service, reduces design time, cuts production time and minimises the risk of errors, while also eliminating the need for users to hold stocks of terminals and associated components.

The WPC Wire Processing Centre featured on the Weidmüller stand takes data directly from a CAD or CAE design package automatically cuts wires to length and strips them. It then prints the wire-end markers and crimps the wire ends. The company says reductions of up to 50% in the time required to wire control panels are possible, along with other benefits that include more efficient use of costly wire, with reduced waste and scrappage.

Visitors to the Weidmüller stand who share the fast-growing interest in IIoT will have an opportunity to discover u-mation, a coordinated portfolio of modern automation hardware, innovative engineering and visualisation software, which allows users to develop and implement scalable digitalisation and automation solutions. Optimised at all process levels from the sensor to the cloud, these solutions will create future-proof foundations that underpin the most efficient production concepts, including those embodied in Industry 4.0.

OMNIMATE 4.0 is an efficient solution for a continuous, digitalised device development process for the connected world of tomorrow. A new design concept and a fast SNAP IN connection technology are just starting point. With their basic design, the new OMNIMATE 4.0 connectors are constructed as prefabricated individual I/O modules which the user can combine thanks to the wide range of flexible options. The connectors are available with 2 to 12 poles and from a batch size of one – easily configured via the Weidmüller Configurator which integrates seamlessly into the digital customer process.

Visitors to the Weidmüller stand will be able to test out the SNAP IN technology for themselves, as well as discuss specific application requirements with the company’s specialist engineers. Find out more here.