Cable assemblies directly from the contact specialist

The company is known for its portfolio of high-quality contacts as well as connectors that are usually not usable by customers without subsequent further processing.

"A connector in itself can only fulfil a part of the customer's requirement. The connection system required by the customer is always an interplay of ODU connectors, connection technology and suitable cable," says Rudolf Weidenspointner – Head of Product Management Cable Assembly & Technologies.

In applications where, for example, high currents or temperatures are involved, high data rates are transmitted via copper or fibre optic cables, and tightness is important, it is not enough to simply offer a high-quality connector and disregard the connection technology or cable assembly. A connector can only meet the requirements of the respective customer application in conjunction with the appropriate cable and a process-safe connection. If the complete solution comes from a single source, ODU can also guarantee the reliability of the cable assembly.

Any quantity and length

In the field of data technology, a standard cable assembly comprises an ODU connector at one end and a standard interface connector (DisplayPort, Ethernet/IP, SPE, HDMI or USB) at the other end.

Through appropriate cooperations, ODU can offer its customers qualified standard cables (see ‘Standard Cables and Accessories’ catalogue) for cable assemblies starting with batch size 1 – availability is ensured by factory stocking.

The standard cable assembly is available in any length (within the limits of technical possibilities), so that customers do not have to limit themselves to predefined dimensions.

Customer-specific overmouldings

Over the past few years, ODU has developed into a specialist for customer-specific overmouldings.

For the connection of the connector to the cable, the options range from standard bend relief sleeves to thermoplastic overmouldings and silicone overmouldings for increased strain relief and bend protection. The tools developed and manufactured at ODU for straight or angled designs are designed (depending on the application) for sample, small series, or large series production.

In medical technology, for example, the silicone-overmoulded system solutions are used because they enable absolutely resistant yet flexible connection of the cables to the connector. The silicone overmould can be removed even after the required autoclaving cycles (steam sterilisation at up to 134°C and 3.040 mbar) neither peel off nor detach – the biocompatibility with regard to the cytotoxicity test (outgassing) according to DIN EN ISO 10993-5 is generally confirmed by an external testing laboratory.

Advantages of ODU cable assembly

Customers benefit from the following advantages with ODU cable assembly:

• Tested quality of the complete solution (data rates, adhesion, etc.)
• Fast availability
• Fair pricing (incl. cost reduction vs. individual acquisition)
• Length neutrality
• No minimum purchase quantity
• Customer-specific overmouldings possible (even for samples or small series)
• Reduction of effort, as the supply chain is limited to one contact person and only one part number needs to be managed by the customer

Cable assembly will now be successively added to the catalogues of the various ODU connector series as well as becoming an integral part of the ODU Product Finder.