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Specify a rectangular EPIC® connector by matching the housing, insert configuration and contacts to the machine interface. Then select compatible mechanical coding for connections that must not be interchanged and record the arrangement in the build documentation. The part numbers and coding positions belong to the chosen series, so a familiar housing shape is not enough to establish compatibility.
The EPIC® range comparison and modular-versus-circular guide cover the earlier selection decision. Once rectangular EPIC® is chosen, the next job is a complete interface schedule: what fits together, what connects to each contact and which neighbouring connectors must remain mechanically distinct.
How do you order a rectangular heavy-duty connector as housing, inserts and contacts?
The hood is only part of the order.
Its mating base, the insert arrangement and the contacts need to agree, even when some arrive in the same package. Before carrying over a part number from an earlier machine, check both halves against the assembly instructions: a familiar outline can conceal a different mating combination.
Housing selection begins with a physical question: will the proposed assembly fit where it has to go? Allow for the inserts, terminations and cable routing as well as the hood and base themselves, then show the cable-entry direction and locking arrangement on the drawing instead of leaving them for the installer to work out.
Inside that envelope, the circuit list determines the insert arrangement. A compatible modular system can bring power, signal and data or pneumatic modules into one connector position; the available combination depends on the selected system. The useful layout is one that fits the frame and still leaves the terminations accessible during assembly.
The cable entry deserves the same attention as the mating face. The intended ingress protection depends on the specified assembly and installation, including the gland, while pin counts and module layouts need to come from the chosen insert's published configuration.
Separate contacts are not always another item to buy: the EPIC® H-BE 6 screw-termination insert, for example, is supplied with its contacts; some other insert variants may need separate selection. Where they are separate, match them to the insert and conductor cross-section using the termination instructions.
Electrical suitability belongs to the chosen configuration, including its stated operating conditions and any derating. A rating remembered from a similar insert or the conductor size alone cannot settle that question, and the termination method and required tooling need to be known before the parts schedule goes to purchasing.
Keep the mating part references together in the schedule, with the relevant datasheet and assembly-instruction revisions. That may mean several documents for one interface; a link to a general catalogue is no substitute for knowing which configuration was ordered.
What is connector coding and keying, and when does a machine need it?
Mechanical coding distinguishes otherwise similar connections through compatible physical features. The EPIC® coding-parts catalogue describes different methods for particular insert series: some accessories replace insert fastening screws; others occupy a contact cavity and require removal of the corresponding mating contact.
A contact cavity used for coding is no longer available for that electrical connection. That is a circuit-layout decision as well as a mechanical one, which is why coding should be considered while the contact assignment is still being developed.
Start the coding review with similar connectors that carry different circuits, then include the other physically compatible connections within reach, especially those opened for maintenance or changeover. Labels tell a technician which connection is intended; a correctly selected coding arrangement adds a physical restriction.
How many connections need to be kept distinct on this machine? Answer that before assigning the available codes, then check the proposed combinations against the series-specific instructions. The important result is a scheme that excludes the wrong pairings for this installation, rather than a collection of connectors that have merely been labelled as coded.
How do you document a modular connector so a field team can service it?
At the drawing stage, a mixed connector face is easy to understand because the engineer has the circuit design in front of them. The interface schedule needs to serve the person replacing it later, who may have only the part and its documentation.
A drawing of the mating face is a good starting point, provided it says which face it shows. Include the module positions, contact numbering and circuit assignments, then record the coding accessory and its position on each half; a general note that simply says “coded connector” leaves the replacement arrangement open to interpretation.
Tie that drawing to the housing, insert, contact and accessory part numbers used in the build, along with the assembly instruction references and the approved replacement arrangement. Documentation supports identification and replacement; it does not replace the machine's isolation or electrical verification procedure.
Revisions are another place to be precise. If a module or circuit changes, the drawing, contact schedule and bill of materials need to describe the same build; a housing that closes is not evidence that an older replacement is still suitable.
The intended pair and the connections it must exclude should be checked during build verification, following the manufacturer's instructions. Record the result against the interface identifier so the build record shows which arrangement was checked.
Before releasing the schedule, walk through a replacement on paper. Can the service team identify the correct mating half, obtain the specified contacts and reconstruct the coding from the information provided? If it needs an undocumented assumption, add the missing detail to the drawing or parts list.
Keep the connector identifier consistent across the schematic, machine labels and spare-parts record. For a modular arrangement, record empty positions and any specified blanking components as well as populated modules. This gives the next engineer a defined configuration to review when the machine is modified.
Talk to Our Engineers
A proposed parts list is a useful starting point for a technical enquiry. Talk to our connectivity specialists while the housing, insert and contact selection can still be adjusted, particularly where several similar connectors need distinct coding. Include the interface drawing, circuit requirements and the environment the interface will see.
LAPP engineers and produces cables and connectors, so the conversation can cover the cable entry and routing as well as the connector itself.
For machine building and automation, talk to our engineers through the LAPP SEA enquiry page. For application context, see industrial connectors for ASRS lines, and where a compact single-cable interface is the alternative, the M-Series connectors compared.
