SAN RAFAEL, Calif.—A Rohnert, Calif.-based designer and manufacturer of precision connectors was named Autodesk Inventor of the Month in December for its innovative efforts in designing connectors for high-definition television (HDTV) cameras. LEMO USA Inc. (www.lemousa.com), a subsidiary of the Swiss manufacturer LEMO S.A., uses Autodesk Inventor software to design and customize precision connectors for the medical, instrumentation, military, and automotive industries, as well as the broadcast markets. The company’s “3K.93C” connector for HDTV cameras is instrumental in the wide delivery of HDTV programming.
“Every time someone sits down on Sunday to watch football in high definition, they are likely watching the game through one of LEMO’s hybrid connectors,” said Erik Gammon, engineering manager at LEMO, in a statement. “Autodesk Inventor software has been instrumental in helping us design, visualize, and simulate precision connection solutions that deliver the high-quality results our customers expect.”
The ability to create digital prototypes with Autodesk Inventor software has reportedly enabled LEMO to design and customize its connectors in significantly less time, according to both companies. Previously, the process of designing a custom part, building a physical prototype, and shipping it to the customer for approval could take LEMO up to three weeks. Now, the company uses a Digital Prototyping workflow that allows it to often bypass the process of making a physical prototype. Instead, the company can simply produce and share 3D models with the customer, completing the entire design process within a week.
“Companies like LEMO are using Digital Prototyping to respond to customer needs quicker and bring their innovative products to market sooner,” said Robert “Buzz” Kross, senior vice president, Manufacturing Industry Group at Autodesk. “In a global economy, these are practices that serve manufacturers well.”
Typically, an advanced piece of electronic equipment requires several types of connectors to interface with power sources and other devices. High-definition television (HDTV) cameras need high-voltage, fiber-optic, and low-voltage contacts, all within the same connector, rather than as three separate connectors. By using Autodesk Inventor software, LEMO USA is able to design a hybrid connector that combines all three contacts onto a single interconnect solution. The process of designing the hybrid connector is challenging because of the many different types of male pins that must connect with corresponding female sockets in a relatively small amount of space. Inventor software enables LEMO to first check for interferences among all the different components. It then enables tolerance checks on the contacts to help them mate with just the right amount of insertion—producing a reliable connection.
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