Contributed by
Harting Canada Inc
The rectangular connector made its debut almost 65 years ago, reflecting a growing trend in machine design at the time and starting one of its own. Machines were becoming increasingly complex. No longer was machine control just a matter of plugging a power cord into an electrical outlet and flipping the on/off switch. Manufacturers were developing more elaborate power distribution and control systems and locating critical components in control cabinets outside the machine. Connectors provided a logical bridge between the cabinet and subsystems inside the machine. Few connectors were accepted as rapidly as the first rectangular connectors, embraced by the electrical and mechanical engineering communities and machine-builders alike.