Without wires and cables, there would be no electromobility, no high-speed Internet, and no contact-free measuring technology. At this year's productronica, Messe Mu?nchen is making an outstanding innovation platform available to visitors: the highlight forum on "Technologies for Cable Processing and Connectors". All of Hall B3 and parts of Hall B2 will feature trends and developments in this segment. The second day of the fair will also focus on this extensive topic: At the Innovations Forum in Hall B2, visitors will have several opportunities to gather information about cable manufacturing and processing and cable applications. There will also be a panel discussion on the topic. The International Trade Fair for Electronics Production takes place in Munich from November 12 - 15, 2013. In many cases, cables and wires are the last components that developers select when designing a system. However, cables are actually the lifeline of nearly all electronic systems: If a cable fails while it is being laid or after installation, the consequences can be expensive or even fatal - whether in automobiles, power plants or aircraft. Connector technology is also closely connected to cable technology. Reliability starts as early as selecting materials and producing the cable and must also be guaranteed during cable processing. Replacing expensive copper with aluminum in vehicle manufacturing has far-reaching repercussions: It makes it necessary to adapt the crimp technology for plug connectors. A cable's reliability is based on its durability and sturdiness as well as signal integrity. The ideal cable system should be designed so that it works properly in any environment for the lifetime of the product. Users must meet the growing demands placed on the cables that they use in their electronic systems on the one hand and keep the costs of the cable systems as low as possible on the other. That is why kaizen improvement measures are now a hot topic in cable production. The term "kaizen" is generally associated with lean management, which concerns the principles, methods and techniques for making the value chain more efficient. The method is an important part of many industrial enterprises, the basic objective of which is efficient organization. productronica sees itself as an innovative platform for cable manufacturing. "productronica is our way of putting the sector for cable manufacturing and connectors in the limelight," says Christian Rocke, productronica's Exhibition Director, explaining the importance of this market sector and its success the last time that the fair was held. "productronica met the exhibitors' expectations in 2011, and the fair received outstanding ratings." A total of 97 companies successfully presented manufacturing technologies for cables and connectors at productronica in 2011. Acceptance was also high among trade visitors: This segment was a highlight for 7,995 trade visitors, or 21 percent of all participants. 105 well-known exhibitors such as Schleuniger, Komax, Harwin and Steca Elektronik will present their new developments and diverse range of services in Halls B2 and B3 at this year's productronica. Highlight on Day 2: Cables and plug connectors On Wednesday, November 13, 2013, the Innovations Forum in Hall B2 (Stand 345) will be a central gathering for representatives of the cable and connectors industry. The highlight forum organized by the VDMA (German Engineering Federation) titled "Cables and Connectors - Production aspects and application examples" will feature a number of presentations and discussions about the latest challenges and trends. It will cover everything from manufacturer requirements to machine solutions, and from markets and technology to company and industry strategies - everything that is currently moving the industry. Among other things, the latest challenges include ever increasing electrical and mechanical requirements, higher packaging densities despite increased miniaturization of the cables and plug connectors, and the discrepancy between demands for halogen-free materials and low flammability of the cables. High power challenges manufacturers just as much as high- frequency applications. Commercial vehicles, for example, use currents as high as 7,000 amperes. "These general conditions have a serious impact on selecting the right materials, manufacturing processes and suitable connection technologies. Automation, simulation and standardization play an increasingly important role in the ability to compete in this industry," explains Dr. Eric Maiser, Managing Director of the Productronics Association in the VDMA. productronica
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