Electricity and Control October 2021

COVER ARTICLE

A wealth of technology dedicated to your safety

F ounded in 1952, the MARECHAL ELECTRIC group was born to enhance electrical safety in industrial environments. Starting from 5 A to 1 250 A and up to 1 000 V the group counts among the major manufacturers and designers in Low Voltage LT electrical connection systems for environments with or without the presence of an EX explosive atmosphere. The DECONTACTOR™ is a device which combines the advantages of a plug and socket and the performance of an isolator. Built on 70 years of research and innovation, the DECONTACTOR™ range offers a level of reliability and safety not yet equalled anywhere in the world. It allows devices to be connected and disconnected thousands of times and in the most severe environments with perfect safety for the user, which will greatly reduce production downtime! Power your equipment in applications up to 250 A, without having to add an external contactor to break the supply load. Butt contact technology with a silver-nickel tip The MARECHAL ® DECONTACTOR™ and connectors are all fit- ted with butt contacts with silver-nickel tips. They provide ex- ceptional connection quality by eliminating the damage due to electric arcs and wear seen with the pin and sleeve system. Silver is an excellent conductor of current even when oxidised. DECONTACTOR™ technology A one-of-a-kind design in the world

elliptical deforming ring. This method al- lows the tightening force on the wire to be constant. Hence despite the creep of the conductor, the variations of temperature and vibration, the conductor wire is per- fectly connected to the contact terminal.

Safety shutter DECONTACTOR™ sockets are fitted with an interlocked safety shut- ter which prevents access to live contacts. This shutter only unlocks at the time of connection of the plug into the socket, which avoids any risk of electric shock. Casing in advanced materials MARECHAL ® range connectors and DECONTACTOR™ have casings made from glass-fibre-reinforced polyester (GRP), or metal, depending on the models. This choice of material contributes to the excellent mechanical performance and longevity of the socket.

The main industries using MARECHAL ® products are: - mines and quarries

- water treatment - energy - ports, marinas, offshore & shipyards - entertainment & media.

- heavy industry - transportation - chemical & refineries - agri-food industry

Conductivity is optimal even in the presence of vibration and tempera- ture variation due to the pressure of the springs.

Crimped braids The MARECHAL ® contact uses a crimped braid with a spring which provides contact performance and tolerances superior to pin and sleeve contacts. The flexibility of the braid and the spring allows the base contact tip to be always perfectly aligned with the plug contact tip. These contacts, which are silver and anti-corrosion treated, offer very good corrosion resistance.

Auxiliary contacts Auxiliary contacts on the male and female sides are separate from the main power contacts. These contacts can be used for signal and control requirements. Elastic lock terminals MARECHAL ® contacts are fit- ted with ‘elastic lock’ connec- tion terminals. The wire clamp is split and surrounded by an

For more information contact Robyn Ellis at MARECHAL ELECTRIC. Tel: +27 (0)11 894 7226 Email: r.ellis@marechal.com Visit: www.marechal.com

Electricity + Control OCTOBER 2021

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