Company Announcement - Molex Incorporated has announced the addition of a range of Heavy Duty Connectors to its portfolio following the recent acquisition of the GWconnect® range of products of the Italian industrial connector manufacturer Westec Srl. The Heavy Duty Connector range widens the Molex offering for industrial automation applications and aligns well with its Brad® Power and Micro-Change® M12 interconnect solutions.

Molex Heavy Duty Connectors are suitable for use wherever connections are required for power, control and signal circuits and are UL/CSA approved. They are rated to IP66 or IP67 for industrial applications, and IP69K (EN 60529) for applications where frequent washdowns are required, such as in the food & beverage industry, or where aggressive substances are present. Typical applications include control panels, robotics and industrial automation equipment, as well as railway, commercial vehicle and renewable energy.

A large variety of enclosures is available with different combinations of components and materials. The principal parts are made in die-cast aluminum alloy with polyester powder coating or in self-extinguishing thermoplastic. Sealing is assured by special gaskets protecting the inserts inside the enclosures against dust, water and other aggressive agents. A self-extinguishing thermoplastic material is used for the inserts, which can accommodate screw terminals, screw terminals with terminal block, spring terminals, crimp terminals and push-in terminals. Turned contacts of all insert versions are made of hard-silver or hard-gold coated copper alloy, ensuring high reliability and performance. A complete range of stamped crimp contacts, supplied on reel, is also available alongside the turned version, allowing the automated crimping.

The Molex Heavy Duty Connectors are resistant to impact and high mechanical stress as a result of locking lever types to ensure secure mating and prevent accidental unmating. In addition, special gaskets protect the inserts with sealing ratings covering IP66, IP67 and IP69K.