With the constant pressure for smaller end products or more functions inside an existing form factor, system engineers look for space relief in every component. Fortunately, in the area of relays, suppliers have provided a variety of solutions. New units with smaller size take less printed circuit board (PCB) space and still have the ability to handle higher currents requirements. New applications such as hybrid vehicles require both small size and more power.
HIGH-VOLTAGE AUTOMOTIVE RELAY
Using a permanent magnet, hermetically sealed construction and encapsulated contacts, Panasonic Electric Works (formerly Aromat Corporation) has produced a compact power relay for hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs). The 300A EV dc high-voltage relay achieves 400V dc cutoff. Hermetically sealing the contacts with hydrogen reduces arcing and provides stable contact resistance for improved reliability. Since the arc is not exposed to the outside, the unit is only 1/4 the size of conventional contactors. In addition, the housing has been trimmed down based on an arc-space-free construction process that prohibits the arc from escaping, thus ensuring safety. In addition to producing minimal operation noise, the relay offers high capacity cutoff with a minimal contact gap. The relay targets high-voltage applications in fuel-cell, electric and hybrid vehicles, UPS, automatic guided vehicles, elevators, construction machinery, inverter control and solar power generation systems. Get more information on Panasonic (Aromat) EV relays.
SAME SIZE RELAY — MORE PERFORMANCE
Instead of shrinking the package size, improvements can provide more performance from the same form factor. Hasco's HAT 900 series rated for 40A on the normally open side and 30A for the normally closed side provides 10 to 20A more current than the previous model and is the highest rated relay in this style. Stronger contacts and internal improvements on the armature provide the 25 percent increase in rated current. With both ac and dc coil voltages, the relay also carries tungsten and ballast loads. The UL, CSA and TUV-rated relays have three mounting styles PCB, PCB/quick connect and a chassis mount. Get more information on Hasco Component's electromechanical relays.
ULTRA-MINIATURE AUTOMOTIVE RELAY
With design goals of minimal power consumption and size, Fujitsu Components America, Inc PCB-mount, FTR-G1 automotive relay can handle 25A loads at 14V dc with only 640 mW of coil power and measures only 13.7 × 6.6 × 13.5 mm. The 1 form C, single relay's low noise level (60 dB max) allows mounting within the passenger compartment. A unique pin layout in the relay preserves a sufficient isolation distance needed for simplified PCB layouts. Reduced size, weight and power consumption, come from an efficient, magnetic circuit. High-temperature coil wire and temperature molds, as well as a highly conductive spring, increase the unit's heat resistance. Based on a two-piece assembly process, the relay does not require insertion molding. This helps to shrink costs and reduce contaminants. The relay targets high in-rush applications such as power window and gate lifts, automatic sliding doors, door locks, adjustable seat and intermittent wipers. Get more information on Fujitsu Components America's FTR-G1 relay.
SUBMINIATURE RELAY
With measurements of just 19.6 × 15.6 × 15.2 mm, Omron Electronic Components LLC's G5LB and G5LB-25 series power PCB relays require about 20 percent less board space and are 20 percent shorter than conventional “sugar cube” relays. The switch contacts' unique geometry handles 10A at 120/250V ac and 8A at 30V dc as well as switching digital signals. Power consumption is only 360 mW for the standard class B insulated or optional class F coils. Available in SPDT and SPST configurations, the relays are fully sealed and meet RoHS requirements. With operation over a wide range of temperatures from -40 to 105C, the units have an electrical life of 100,000 to 200,000 cycles. The G5LB meets European standards and provides designers a smaller size single-pole 10A PCB relay. The small relays target clean room filtering devices, freezer controls and HVAC zone applications. Get more information on Omron Electronic Components's G5LB subminiature relay.
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