Why choose RINCON Power contactors via efa for the electrification of your machines?

In the age of increasing electrification, high-performance equipment is essential to ensure the reliability and safety of electrical, industrial and heavy machinery. Among the critical components of any electrical system, contactors play a crucial role, especially in demanding environments. The RINCON Power brand is renowned for its high-quality contactors, designed to meet the needs of intensive and industrial applications. In partnership with efa, a specialized distributor and integrator, you benefit from local expertise and customized support to ensure the success of your electrification projects.

In this article, we’ll explore why RINCON contactors, distributed by efa, are a first-rate choice for your electrification needs.

The reliability of Rincon contactors

RINCON contactors are renowned for their reliability and longevity. Designed to withstand harsh environments, these components deliver optimum performance even under extreme conditions.

Specific advantages include:

• Robustness: adapted to industrial environments, these contactors withstand high loads and intensive operating cycles.
• Thermal and mechanical resistance: the materials used in RINCON contactors guarantee resistance to high temperatures, vibration and shock.
• Low maintenance: their design ensures long service life, reducing maintenance and replacement costs.
  efa expertise and support

efa expertise and support

efa is not just a distributor of components; it’s a technical partner. Specializing in electrification solutions, efa supports its customers at every stage of the project, from component selection to design, integration and final installation.

Thanks to efa’s expertise, you benefit from :

• Support from our Design Office, specialized in powertrain and programming.
• Personalized advice in selecting the RINCON contactor model best suited to your application.
• Technical support for installation and maintenance of your components.

Working with efa saves time and reduces risk, thanks to the expertise of professionals trained in the latest electrification technologies.

High-quality technical features

RINCON contactors are designed to meet the specific needs of industrial sectors, with high-quality technical features:

• Wide current and voltage range: RINCON contactors support a wide current range, meeting the needs of low-, medium- and high-voltage applications.
• Corrosion-resistant materials: their construction guarantees reliability even in corrosive environments, which is particularly useful for marine applications or harsh industrial environments.
• Compactness and easy integration: thanks to their compact design, they integrate easily into complex configurations, optimizing space and safety in electrical cabinets.

Compliance with international standards and certifications

Regulated industries require certified components to ensure the safety of users and equipment. RINCON contactors comply with international standards (ISO, IEC), guaranteeing a level of quality and safety that meets the requirements of industrial and commercial projects.
By opting for RINCON contactors distributed by efa, companies can ensure their compliance with current standards.

Thanks to efa’s expertise, you benefit from personalized support for the integration of high-quality components, adapted to the most stringent requirements of industrial environments.

Whether you work in the industrial, agricultural or logistics sectors, the RINCON contactor solutions distributed by efa enable you to achieve optimum electrification in compliance with safety standards.

To discover the complete range and discuss your electrification projects, contact us or visit our page: Contactors and power relays

In the design and production of Power Distribution Units (PDUs) for off-road vehicles, the challenges of shock and vibration are inescapable:

Challenges and constraints :

Component protection: PDUs are often subjected to harsh environments where shock and vibration can damage internal components, compromising the reliability and durability of the equipment.

Electrical safety: Shock and vibration can affect the connection of electrical cables and terminals, leading to the risk of short circuits or broken connections, which can endanger the safety of operators and equipment.

Compliance standards: Electrical safety standards and regulations impose strict requirements in terms of shock and vibration resistance. So care must be taken to meet rigorous standards to ensure compliance.

Our solutions:

Rugged design: We design our PDUs with particular attention to robustness, using high-quality materials and reinforced structures according to customer requirements.

Qualification tests: We subject our PDUs to rigorous qualification tests, simulating real-life conditions of use to ensure their resistance to shock and vibration.

Torque tightening of components: We use torque tightening techniques to securely fix the internal components of our PDUs. Each tightening is recorded and referenced in our quality system to ensure traceability.

To find out more about our PDU solutions and electrification capabilities, please contact us.

One of the main challenges we face when designing PDUs is sizing. The right balance needs to be struck between the size, power and performance of the PDU and its components, depending on the customer’s requirements.

Space management: On vehicles, the space available to integrate the PDU is often limited, which makes component sizing crucial. It is important to choose compact and efficient components to maximise the use of available space.

The right optimisation effort for the right industrial gain: Manufacturing one prototype or 1,000 PDUs a year imposes different constraints. Depending on the optimisation objective, it is necessary to juggle between off-the-shelf and custom solutions.

Power and performance: The components must be sized to meet the power and performance requirements of the customer and his machine. Isolation distances and safety standards must also be respected.

High architecture: The components must be sized to meet the power and performance requirements of the customer and his machine. Isolation distances and safety standards must also be respected.

Compatibility: Components must be compatible with each other and with other PDU and machine systems, to ensure efficient operation and power distribution.

By overcoming these sizing challenges, we are able to design high-performance, reliable and safe PDUs that meet our customers’ most demanding needs.

Contact us to find out more about our PDU solutions and discover how we can help you successfully meet the challenges of electrification!

Thermal management is a major challenge in PDU design. Electrical components generate heat when they are in operation. This heat can cause components to overheat, degrading performance and reducing equipment life. efa takes up this challenge and provides innovative solutions.

The solutions :

• Use of materials with high thermal conductivity (Busbars)
• Use of heat dissipation techniques (heat sinks)
• Installation of cooling systems (fans, liquid cooling)
• Design of optimised circuits and positioning of optimised components

All these solutions are implemented using software such as ANSYS, which enables multiphysics simulations including electrical, thermal and mechanical.

By combining intelligent design, high-quality materials and advanced cooling technologies, we are able to offer PDUs that guarantee reliable performance and durability, even in the most demanding environments.

To find out more about our PDU solutions and electrification capabilities, please contact us.

In the world of electrification, safety is an absolute priority.

Respecting insulation distances is therefore a challenge we have to meet to protect both operators and equipment.

Challenges & constraints :

Space constraints: Within a compact PDU, finding enough space to respect insulation distances can be difficult. Many components need to be integrated into a small space.

High voltages: PDUs for high-voltage applications require greater isolation distances, which can pose additional design challenges. Voltage spikes also impact on these values.

Standards and regulations: Electrical safety standards and regulations impose strict requirements on insulation distances. IEC 60664-1:2020 is an example of the normative constraints applied in efa France’s designs.

Our innovative solutions :

Optimised use of PCBs: We use advanced design techniques to optimise the layout of components on printed circuit boards (PCBs) according to the potentials at the terminals of critical components. The compactness of PDUs is now a key criterion for mobile machines. Our design office teams are committed to reducing the distances between components without compromising safety.

High-quality insulating materials: We carefully select high-quality insulating materials for PDU components, ensuring reliable insulation while minimising the space required. In addition, all designs produced by our teams undergo extensive testing to ensure that our solutions are reliable right from the prototype stage.

Modelling and simulation: We use modelling and simulation tools to assess and optimise the insulation distances of our PDUs. This ensures optimum safety and compliance with standards while optimising space.

To find out more about our PDU solutions and electrification capabilities, please contact us or visit our website.

The HVIL (High Voltage Interlock Loop) function is a system designed to protect anyone likely to come into contact with the high-voltage components of an electric vehicle at any stage in its life cycle.

How it works: This function acts as a kind of circuit breaker that sends out an alert if a high-voltage connection becomes disconnected or damaged. The HVIL uses a continuous low-voltage loop that monitors all the vehicle’s high-voltage connectors and components. If the low-voltage HVIL signal is interrupted for any reason, it indicates that there is a problem with the high-voltage system.

Ensure enhanced safety: for technicians and operators working on high-voltage systems during maintenance and repair tasks.

Prevent the risk of fire: by quickly disconnecting the battery in the event of a fault or anomaly, the HVIL helps to prevent potential fire hazards, protecting both the equipment and its environment.

Opt for compliance and peace of mind: With this feature built into our PDUs, customers can be assured that their high-voltage systems comply with safety standards and regulations, giving them greater confidence in their operations.

Stay tuned for more information on our latest advances in safety and security.

Working with a leading manufacturer of construction equipment, we produced a Power Distribution Unit (PDU) installed on a 100% electric wheel loader model.

The main challenge was to integrate the PDU into a specific and restricted space determined by our customer, with cable inputs and outputs already defined. The PDU we designed is a 96V model comprising various components (fuses, busbars, permanent insulation controller (PIC), etc.). Unlike other PDUs, this one does not have a precharge function, but does have a discharge function. In addition, it is equipped with measuring points for direct measurements without opening the box. If the box is opened, a door contact automatically cuts off the current, ensuring safety and convenience.

This project was completed in just two months, thanks in no small part to our technical team. We are convinced that this new PDU will contribute to increasing the efficiency and reliability of our customer’s electric vehicles, paving the way for a new era of electric mobility in the construction sector.

To find out more about our PDU solutions and electrification capabilities, please contact us or visit our website.

We are delighted to share this project with a French company specialising in the design of electromagnetic braking solutions for heavy goods vehicles (trucks and buses).

We were able to design and build this solution for two key applications for this customer: a PDU for a test bench for an electromagnetic braking solution and another PDU for real tests on a truck.

The design and production of high-voltage PDU prototypes is a challenge that many design offices have to face. Efa France has met this challenge by drawing on a set of standard components that have already been developed, as well as a strong partnership in the field of power connectors: @amphenol.

The PDU we developed is connected to a 400V battery via an Amphenol HVSLS 600 connector. The solution was implemented using shielded cables to comply with electromagnetic compatibility constraints.

PDU performance :

Voltage: 500V
Max current: continuous 60A peak 130A
Power: 65kW
The PDU includes various fuses to protect the circuits supplying the drives, DCDC converters, heating and other functions.

In addition, a connector for a charger is integrated into the PDU enclosure, enabling connection between the output of the on-board charger and the batteries.

Thanks to this collaboration and the work of our entire team, we were able to respond quickly and effectively to our customer’s needs, providing them with a reliable, high-performance and tailored solution in just a few months.

To find out more about our PDU solutions and electrification capabilities, please contact us or visit the dedicated page on our website.

We are delighted to announce a new project with one of the leaders in the airport equipment sector.

We took on the challenge of developing a high-voltage Power Distribution Unit (PDU) for an aircraft tractor model. With three 400V batteries in parallel, a maximum current of 900A and a power output of 200kW, routing all this energy through the PDU was a technical challenge that we successfully met.

The PDU distributes the power from the batteries to the vehicle’s various essential functions: powertrain, heating, air conditioning, DC/DC converters, etc.).

Inside the PDU, the power is distributed via copper busbars. For auxiliary power requirements, a PCB was designed by our team and then integrated, housing smaller fuses for effective protection.

The switch to high voltage posed challenges in terms of respecting insulation distances between components, but by working closely with our customer, we were able to develop this project through to series production in just a few months.

To find out more about our PDU solutions and electrification capabilities, please contact us or visit the dedicated page on our website.

efa supports your energy distribution projects from design to manufacture

What’s a PDU ?

The power distribution unit plays a crucial role in the efficient management and distribution of energy in new electric vehicles.

• Power distribution from battery(ies)
• Load management
• Electrical protection and safety
• Monitoring, communication and simplified maintenance
• Compatibility with complex systems

This technology optimises performance while reducing the carbon footprint, offering a sustainable solution to today’s electric mobility challenges..

Where to use a PDU?

Power Distribution Units (PDUs) are used in a variety of vehicles, or any mobile or industrial equipment requiring efficient power supply management.

Here are a few examples of where PDUs can be deployed in vehicles, to distribute power to the various on-board equipment, such as communication systems, navigation devices and surveillance systems, and to manage the power supply to the various electronic components.

• Land vehicles
• Aircraft
• Boats and ships
• Mobile industrial equipment (construction machinery, mobile industrial robots, agricultural machinery, etc.)
• Emergency and rescue vehicles

In these applications, PDUs can be designed to withstand the specific environmental conditions of the vehicle, such as vibrations, extreme temperatures, humidity, etc. They help to guarantee the reliability and availability of on-board electrical systems, while facilitating centralised management of the power supply.

What expertise efa can bring 

Construction, Handling, Agriculture, Airports, Lifting, etc. Thanks to our specialist design office and strong partnerships, efa can support you at every stage of your electrification project by designing PDUs from 24V to 1000V, 300W to 300kW.

From discovering your needs, to assessing the viability of your project, to developing prototypes, right through to series production.

We’re proud to be part of projects that are shaping the future of clean mobility, and we look forward to continuing to push back the boundaries of mobile electrification! !

To find out more or for any request concerning the electrification of your vehicles,
contact us or visit our specific page on PDUs