Exhibition News

In the rapidly evolving Electric Vehicle (EV) sector, the demand for superior electrical connections continues to grow. PennEngineering states its new ECCB™ PEM eConnect^® Contact Bushing is revolutionising busbar applications, providing reliable electrical connections between aluminium busbars, as well as copper, PCBs and cable terminals.

Initially, high current pathways in early EVs relied on heavy-duty cables and while these cables offered great flexibility, their performance was limited. As the EV industry advanced, so did the need for higher currents, prompting a shift towards busbars as a more efficient alternative. Early busbars were made of copper, requiring significant material to meet the EV sector’s standards, which not only increased weight but also raised costs. 

To address this, companies opted to run busbars warmer and reduce the required amount of copper by half. However, by 2022 the rising cost of copper led EV companies to explore alternative materials, such as aluminium. Despite needing twice the amount of aluminium, its weight was still half that of copper, offering both weight and cost savings. However, aluminium posed a challenge due to its rapid formation of an insulating oxide layer, complicating electrical connections. 

In order to overcome all these challenges, PennEngineering has developed the ECCB™ PEM eConnect^® Contact Bushing. This innovative product ensures electrical connections between aluminium busbars, copper, PCBs and cable terminals. Its high surface area knurl design pierces the oxide layer on busbars, creating consistent electrical connections without needing to plate the busbar itself. 

Designed for installation into straight punched holes without additional surface preparation, the ECCB™ PEM eConnect^® Contact Bushing breaks through aluminium and copper oxide layers for low resistance connections. It is ideal for use in panels with sheet hardness HRB 50/HB 82 or less.