tec.News - Harting

HARTING’s Technology Newsletter 

Special topic: 

Communications 

infrastructure 

Market: 

Telecommunications in China 

Aspects: 

Communication is our future 

Practice: 

Connectors on SMT boards 

Know-how: 

Microstructure moulding 

for electro-optical components 

People Power Partnership 

4-II-1999

Title 

tec. 

C o n t e n t s 

Editorial 

Focus 

Page 4 

Page 6 

SPECIAL TOPIC: COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE 

Communication 

he liberalisation of the telephone 

markets that is underway 

in industrial nations has led to a 

growing communications requirement, 

but also to increased competitive 

pressure. At the same 

time new communication networks 

are being developed with breathtaking 

speed in South East Asia 

and South America. The Internet 

triggered a global boom in data 

services, but the most sustained 

changes in infrastructure are a 

result of the increasing convergence 

of information and communication 

technologies. Hitherto 

separate networks for data, image 

and voice are now merging, new 

kinds of multimedia applications 

are becoming possible. 

MARKET: 

VIEWPOINT: 

GUEST CONTRIBUTION: 

APPLICATIONS: 

APPLICATIONS: 

ASPECTS: 

APPLICATIONS: 

TRENDS: 


Nokia and the global 

mobile communication landscape 

The future of telecommunications 

and information technology 

Pro-Bel 

routes video signals 

Nortel Networks 

switches GSM connections 


CompactPCI 

unites computer and telephone 

Architectures in transition 

PRACTICE: 

Connector assembly 

on SMT boards 

KNOW-HOW: 

Microstructure moulding: a basic technology 


Panorama 

Products & Applications 

Service 

Trade fairs 

Forum 

Info-Fax 

Page 10 

Page 16 

Page 19 

Page 22 

Page 24 

Page 26 

Page 29 

Page 32 

Page 34 

Page 38 

Page 42 

Page 42 

Page 43 

Page 45 

Page 45 

Page 47 

2 

HARTING tec.News 4-II-1999

Impressum. 

Published by: HARTING KGaA, M. Harting, P.O. Box 11 33, D-32325 Espelkamp, Tel. +49 (0)57 72 47 - 0, 

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details in the appropriate catalogue. Printed by an environmentally friendly method on paper bleached entirely 

without chlorine and with a high proportion of recycled paper. 

©1999 by HARTING KGaA, Espelkamp. All rights reserved. 

3


E d i t o r i a l 

Markus Paschmann 

T 

he information society requires 

the close fusion of communication 

and technology. In this 

respect we all naturally think first 

of consumer devices such as telephones, 

PCs or the ever-ready mobile 

phone. But to turn these "user 

interfaces" into networked systems 

calls for a vast amount of communications 

equipment which is generally 

invisible to the end user. 

The current edition of tec.News is 

focusing on this communications 

infrastructure. We shall introduce 

you to technological highlights from 

the networked world and examine 

the multiplicity of options for transmitting 

voice and data, image and 

sound. 

The liberalisation of the telephone 

markets that is underway in industrial 

nations has led to a growing 

communications requirement, but 

also to increased competitive pressure. 

At the same time new communication 

networks are being developed 

with breathtaking speed in 

South East Asia and South America. 

The Internet triggered a global 

boom in data services, but the most 

sustained changes in infrastructure 

are a result of the increasing convergence 

of information and communication 

technologies. Hitherto separate 

networks for data, image and 

voice are now merging, new kinds of 

multimedia applications are becoming 

possible. 

New technologies bring new players 

onto the market. Companies from 

the more recent segment of data 

communications are competing with 

established telecommunications 

companies, network service providers 

are merging with telephone 

companies, electronics groups are 

reorganising their business structure 

– the convergence of technologies 

is leading to a far more dynamic 

convergence of the markets. Their 

rules of play can be summarised as 

follows: the constant need for innovation, 

permanent pressure of costs 

and progressive globalisation. 

Standardisation is an indispensable 

prerequisite for convergence. With 

the increasing tempo of innovation, 

voluntary amalgamations of interested 

companies are competing 

with traditional standardisation organisations. 

Industrial forums such 

as Future I/O or NGIO are making 

very clear the immense importance 

the market places on powerful communication 

interfaces. At the same 

time they are an indication of the 

speed at which standards are currently 

being established, modified 

and subsequently superseded. 

What effect do the factors described 

have at the connector level? This is a 

fundamental question for the manufacturer 

but nevertheless one which 

is difficult to answer in detail. One 

thing remains certain, however – future 

connector systems will be more 

diverse than ever and tailored to 

particular applications. Two main 

developmental trends remain patently 

unchanged: faster transmission 

speed and increased packing density. 

Signal transfer rates in the gigabit 

range, very high pin densities and 

pitch of less than 2 millimetres will 

soon be state of the art. 

Another driving force in the innovation 

sphere is the omnipresent pressure 

exerted by costs, which is very 

evident in the assembly of electronic 

equipment. The SMT technology applied 

here demands satisfactory 

solutions on the connector side. If 

Gordon Moore's law of doubling output 

is applied to the connector area, 

one thing quickly becomes clear: no 

increases in output worth mentioning 

can be achieved in the near future 

with conventional technology. 

The physical limitations of the basic 

4 


material, copper, necessitate the 

use of new materials. Fibre-optic systems 

and integrated optical components 

point the way. 

Complex markets require competent 

partners. HARTING has always specialised 

in connector technology. In 

collaboration with our customers we 

develop electrical and optical connector 

systems which are custommade 

for information and communication 

applications. In so doing we 

apply our experience from standardisation 

work: HARTING is a global 

supplier and guarantees standards 

globally. We are prepared for the 

future and this will be to your advantage. 

MARKUS PASCHMANN is General 

Manager of the Printed Board 

Connector Division at the HARTING 

Group headquarters in Espelkamp 

with global responsibility since 

1 June 1999. 

5 

People Power Partnership


F o c u s 

I 

n high-tech countries discussions on the topic of the information 

society more often than not concentrate on the vast potential 

of optical communications and the virtually unlimited possibilities 

offered by the Internet. It is easy to overlook the fact that a large 

proportion of the world population still does not even have access 

to a mere telephone. 

China is a good example of a country 

that has recognised the opporbile 

communication systems are 

trend. The "third generation" motunities 

for economic development 

that can result from an effi- 

already on the horizon. 

cient communications infrastructure. 

For long-term success, however, 

foreign investors wishing 

to participate in the enormous 

growth have to share their expertise 

and know-how with their local 

partners. 

power lines. The growth of the Internet 

is inexorable and with it 

the number of regular users. Information 

and communication 

are considered to be the driving 

forces of growth in the twentyfirst 

century. But as far as the 

acceptance and the social effects 

of the immeasurable multimedia 

options are concerned, even Deutsche 

Telekom AG finds it hard to 

make forecasts. 

(Fig. IBM) 

tec. GUEST CONTRIBUTION P. 19 

(Fig. China-Contact) 

tec. MARKET P. 10 

The development of mobile communications 

(Fig. Nokia) 

is making speedy pro- 


gress in Europe. The integration of 

efficient data services in the wellproven 

VIEWPOINT P. 16 

GSM system will lead to 

another developmental leap. NOKIA 

sees the transition from the "mobile 

phone" to the "personal multimedia 

system" as the general 

All available media are mobilised 

for conveying electronic information: 

the good old telephone line, 

radio links, fibre optic cables, the 

television cable and even mains 

The demands made on transmission 

media and switching stations 

increase with the growing volume 

of contents to be transported in a 

communication system. Digital television 

allows the parallel transmission 

of numerous programme 

channels, but at the same time 

makes extremely high demands on 

the speed of signal processing. It 

can be seen from the example of a 

digital video router, how system 

manufacturers and suppliers collaborate, 

to be able to keep up 

6 


with the pace of innovation required 

by the market. 

(Fig. UU-Net) 

tec. APPLICATIONS P. 22 

As the "connection technique in 

connection technology", connectors 

play a very important role in 

the development of switching systems 

in cellular networks. Additional 

participants and increasing 

bit rates require higher perconnection 

concepts are called for 

here. 


Millions of years have passed during 

which communication was not 

perceived as a strategic factor, 

but in recent years its importance 

has changed radically. Communication 

has become a synonym for future 

prospects: communication is 

the key. 

convergence. Characteristic of 

these kinds of devices is the very 

extensive utilisation of standardised 

software and hardware 

from the world of industrial PCs. 

tec. VIEWPOINT P. 26 

(Fig. IBM) 


As has so often been the case in 

the past, the quite familiar "microelectronic 

roadmaps" determine 

the pace for the system 

developers. New and dramatic increases 

in the performance data 

of microprocessors call traditional 

computer and network architectures 

into question. Two proposals 

(Fig. Dornier) 

formance, without it being possible 

to exceed the specified device dimensions. 

Intelligent design and 

Since the digitisation of analog telephone 

signals for transmission, the 

sharp distinction between data 

transmission from computer to 

computer and voice transmission 

by telephone is becoming blurred. 

"Computer Telephony Integration", 

the creation of intelligent telecommunication 

systems with diverse 

switching and billing options, 

is a typical example of this new 

(Fig. Intel) 


7


F o c u s 

form the substance of discussion 

at the moment: NGIO (Next Generation 

Input Output) from Intel 

and Future I/O which is propagated 

by the Compaq / HP / IBM 

group. Serial connections, intelligently 

combined, bring new perspectives 

to the scaleability, reliability 

and speed of system 

connections. 

tec. TREND P. 32 

HARTING meets this challenge with 

connectors for "Intrusive Reflow 

Soldering" technology. 

tec. PRACTICE P. 34 

Optical data transmission has been 

state of the art for a long time on 

long-range routes because fibre 

optics are the undisputed front 

runners as far as transmission capacity 

is concerned. In the "finer" 

branches of communications infrastructure, 

on lower levels of 

the network in buildings, plants, 

vehicles or for domestic connection, 

optical transmission is considered 

too expensive. On the 

other hand the increasing bit 

rates are pushing copper-based 

connections to their technological 

limits. A great future is predicted 

here for the cost-optimised POF 

(Plastic Optical Fibre). A new type 

of integrated optical connection 

technology is now being produced 

especially for short and mediumrange 

transmission links: high 

tech from HARTING. 

The PCBs needed for electronic systems 

are nowadays fitted almost 

exclusively by means of surface 

mount technology. Connectors and 

other bulky components are often 

disparaged in this context since 

they cannot be handled by standard 

pick-and-place machines and 

(Fig. Deutsche Telekom) 

frequently require a special path 

tec. KNOW-HOW P. 38 

next to the main production line. 

8 



9


T o p t h e m a 

MARKET 


Andreas Limbert, Eric Ng 

L 

et China sleep, Napoleon once said. If China wakes it will shake 

the world. There are currently many signs that the giant is emerging 

from its slumber, especially in the telecommunications field. 

GROWTH STRATEGY 

China's central government recognised 

the deficits in the telecommunications 

sector at the beginning 

of the eighties and declared 

it a key strategic sector. From 

then on all five-year plans have 

contained decisions on promoting 

the further development of the 

telecommunications industry and 

associated services. 


At the beginning of the eighties 

there were only 3 million subscriber 

lines in China, providing a mere 

0.4 % of the population with access 

to the telephone network. By 1992 

the number of lines had risen to 

a good 11 million. In 1998 it had 

reached 116 million, and it is 

assumed that by the year 2000 

there will be about 160 million lines 

offering 10 % of all inhabitants 

access to the telephone network. 

To be able to evaluate this number 

correctly, it must be borne in mind 

that in Western Europe and the 

USA a good 55 % of the population 

has a telephone. Consequently the 

telecommunications market in China 

still holds enormous potential 

for growth. 

Responsibility for strategic and 

conceptional planning and for organising 

the necessary changes 

within this sector was transferred 

to the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications 

(MPT). The MPT 

was also put in charge of the installation 

and maintenance of the 

main trunk lines that link up the 

31 provinces of China and via 

which all international long-distance 

calls are switched. Under 

the leadership of the MPT, 31 provincial 

Post and Telecommunication 

Authorities (PTA) were established 

and given responsibility 

for the infrastructure and business 

administration within the 

respective province. 

At the end of 1998, the decision 

was taken to combine the MPT, the 

Ministry for the Electronics Industry 

(MEI) and other related ministries 

to form the Ministry for 

Information Industry (MII). The 

10 


Germany 

MII's main task is to synchronise 

the developments taking place in 

the electronics industry with the 

China 

(Fig. IBM) 

changes in and requirements of 

the telecommunications industry. 

In all the phases mentioned China 

used the most modern technologies 

available and in some cases 

whole generations of technology 

were skipped. 

SIGNAL TRANSMISSION 

AND NETWORKS 

China's geographical size (almost 

10 million square kilometres, equivalent 

to 27 times the size of Germany, 

for example) was one of the 

great challenges in the modernisation 

of the telecommunications 

network. Three different technologies 

were used for main trunk 

lines: fibre optic, microwave and 

satellite systems. 

Forty satellite receiving stations 

now maintain links with the 17 satellites 

in orbit. An approx. 200,000 

kilometre fibre optic trunk line 

network based on SDH (Synchronous 

Digital Hierarchy) transmission 

technology permits bit rates of 622 

Mbps and 2.5 Gbps. A 100,000 kilometre 

distribution network was 

also laid and 140,000 microwave 

connections installed. At present 

(Fig. Dornier) 

the public dial-up telephone network 

in China comprises 135 million 

subscriber lines with 4.8 million 

local exchanges distributed 

throughout the country. 

CELLULAR TELEPHONE 

SERVICE 

Parallel to the line connected telephone 

system, at the end of the 

eighties China also built up mobile 

telephone networks. The first 

analog cellular network was put 

into operation in 1987 in Guangdong 

province. There are now 25 

million mobile telephone subscribers 

in China, and it is assumed 

that this number will rise to 50 

million by the year 2005. 

All 31 provinces have been covered 

in the meantime. The prevailing 

technology is currently the digital 

GSM system, though it has recently 

been decided to build up a competing 

network based on CDMA 

technology. 

THE INTERNET 

AND DATA TRANSFER 

The Internet age dawned in China 

in 1995 under the name of CHINA- 

NET. Initially connection was restricted 

to business subscribers 


11

ut access was later given to private 

users too. The total number 

of users is currently estimated at 

about 2 million. 

Data communication networks 

(CHINAPAC, CHINADDN 9) offer 

access points in all major cities. 

Banks and the tax and customs 

authorities are the main users. 

CHINANET, the main network, covers 

30 provinces, and its bit rate 

is usually 2 Mbps. Access is possible 

via dialled connection, leased 

lines or a frame relay network. 

The first intelligent network system 

for private customers was 

created in 1997. It offers services 

ranging from chip card or credit 

card service to virtual private 

networks and is linked to comparable 

international networks. 

(Fig. Siemens) 

MARKET ACCESS 

The Chinese government has 

stressed many times that the provision 

of network services must 

remain under national control. 

Only companies wholly under Chinese 

ownership may act as network 

operators. The two biggest 

are China Telecom, which has a 

virtual monopoly at present, and 

UNICOM, a subsidiary of the Energy 

Ministry, with a small stake 

in the mobile telephone service 

market. 

The government was well aware 

that for speedy modernisation of 

equipment and infrastructure foreign 

capital, technology and knowhow 

were needed. Virtually all international 

equipment manufacturers 

set up branches in China at 

the end of the eighties. They established 

joint ventures with Chinese 

manufacturers or set up their 

own joint-stock companies in the 

country. For a long time these 

companies imported all the necessary 

components and parts from 

America or Europe, only assembly 

took place in China. 

Government policy is now oriented 

towards giving preference to components 

produced in China and towards 

promoting the transfer of 

technology and know-how to China. 

Foreign corporations producing 

software-controlled switching 

equipment are no longer allowed 

to set up branches in China. 

The government is concentrating 

its support to a large extent on 

native manufacturers. With products 

such as switching and trans- 


mission equipment, access networks, 

mobile communication systems 

and intelligent services, 

these companies have taken over 

a major part of the Chinese telecommunications 

market. 

The remarkable successes of native 

manufacturers are stimulating 

the government's determination 

to assert its strategy. The 

provincial authorities for post and 

telecommunications (PTA) have a 

substantial influence on the success 

of individual equipment manufacturers 

and tend to support 

12 


the companies with branches in 

their province. Nevertheless, in 

certain segments of the market 

such as the base stations for 

cellular networks virtually all important 

parts are still imported. 

MARKET VOLUME 

It is expected that the turnover 

on the Chinese telecommunications 

market will be 28 billion US 

dollars by the year 2000. The 

gross income from telecommunication 

services is estimated at 26 

billion US dollars. Communication 

equipment exports account for 

about 3.2 billion US dollars. Since 

foreign joint ventures and companies 

wholly owned abroad have to 

meet the export quotas agreed in 

the company's operating permit, 

the exportation of equipment will 

increase further in the future. 

RESEARCH 

AND DEVELOPMENT 

Telecommunications is not only a 

matter of technology. In China, as 

in all other countries of the world, 

it is also of immense political importance. 

China looks on the telecommunications 

industry as the 

driving force of its economy and in 

particular as the opportunity for 

transferring know-how to improve 

the technological development situation. 

The central government is exerting 

tight control over the MII 

with respect to the direction this 

development takes. The objective 

is to be in future primarily a supplier 

of systems and know-how for 

the international telecommunications 

market instead of a customer. 

The Chinese government has transferred 

responsibility for setting 

up the necessary research and development 

institutes to the MII 

in order to achieve this objective. 

Ten national universities are now 

concentrating on research projects 

in the telecommunications 

field. 


The most well-known of these are 

the Beijing University for Post and 

Telecommunications, the Chengdu 

University of Electronic Science 

and Technology and the Jiao-Tong 

University in Shanghai. The MII 

also has its own research centres, 

such as the Chinese Academy for 

Post and Telecommunications in 

Beijing with 14 affiliated research 

centres and the Research Institute 

for Post and Telecommunications 

in Wuhan. 

TECHNOLOGIES 

OF THE FUTURE 

One of the future projects of the 

Chinese telecommunications market 

is the installation of a mobile 

telephone system based on CDMA 

technology. It is to be operated by 

UNICOM in competition with the 

existing GSM system that China 

Telecom administers as a virtual 

monopoly. For its part, China Telecom 

has entered into a contract 

with GLOBALSTAR to participate in 

the latter's future satellite telephone 

system, by means of which 

48 systems in near-earth orbit are 

to cover the entire world. 

In-depth examination of the Chinese 

telecommunications market 

shows that the intentions and objectives 

of the MII are following 

world-wide trends: data highway, 

Internet, e-mail, electronic commerce, 

video access services and 

image telephony are also on the 

wish list there. Since market saturation 

point for speech telephone 

systems will not be reached before 

the end of the next five years, and 

not all technical prerequisites 

have been met for the other technologies, 

the Chinese communications 

market offers outstanding 

opportunities for equipment manufacturers 

and service providers. 

A MARKET 

FOR CONNECTORS 

A considerable proportion of the 

costs of a telecommunications 

system is accounted for by con- 

13 


nectors. Consequently they are 

ideally suitable for increasing the 

domestic added value quota, provided 

that the connector is on the 

equipment manufacturer's list of 

approved components. 

Chinese equipment manufacturers 

also often require local support 

during the designing of a system. 

Therefore they often prefer to 

award contracts to a supplier who 

has local development and production 

capacity. In the end it is only 

connector manufacturers that offer 

a comprehensive range of services, 

from design, production and 

distribution through to customer 

services that will be successful on 

the Chinese telecommunications 

market. 


To be in a position to provide the 

optimal service both for domestic 

and international customers, 

HARTING took the strategic decision 

to transfer existing production 

capacities from Hong Kong 

(Fig. IBM) 

to the Chinese mainland. The new 

plant in the special economic zone 

of Zhuhai in Guangdong province 

began operation in 1998 and offers 

sufficient expansion potential 

to satisfy the requirement 

for growth in the Chinese market. 

The three HARTING branches in 

Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong 

also ensure that close contact is 

maintained with indigenous system 

integrators. 

China's telecommunications market 

is currently the fastest growing 

market in the world and will 

soon be one of the biggest international 

markets of all. It offers 

companies in the telecommunications 

industry enormous opportunities. 

But only those companies 

that make a long-term commitment 

to the Chinese market and 

are willing to share their knowhow 

with their Chinese partners 

will also enjoy long-term success. 

ANDREAS LIMBERT is "Executive 

Director Asia Pacific" at HARTING 

HK LTD and is in charge of the 

HARTING subsidiaries in Korea, 

Taiwan, Singapore and China and 

for production in Zhuhai (China). 

ERIC NG is "Telecom Business 

Manager" for HARTING TRADING 

SHANGHAI CO. LTD. He is in charge 

of the HARTING branches in Beijing, 

Shanghai and Shenzhen. He is responsible 

for development, marketing 

and sales of telecommunications 

products in Hong Kong and 

China. 

Info-Fax 4001 

14 



15


S p e c i a l t o p i c 

VIEWPOINT 

Nokia and the global mobile communication landscape 

Investigated by Seppo Arjasto 

N 

okia is predicting that there will be noticeable growth in the 

mobile communications service sector in the future too. At the same 

(Fig. Nokia) 

PERSONAL MULTIMEDIA 

"The mobile telecommunications 

industry is currently in the PCS 

(Personal Communication Ser- 

time, the rapid development of the Internet is preparing the way 

for new radio-based data services. The "Global System for Mobile 

Communications" (GSM) is leading the industry into a new communications 

age: the "Personal Multimedia" era. 

GSM 

vices) era with the main emphasis 

"GSM encompasses all continents 

on speech communication. There 

and is now used world-wide in more will be a billion mobile telephone 

than 110 countries. From the technical 

point of view, GSM has adequate kia sees the 'Personal Multimedia' 

subscribers by the year 2003. No- 

capacity to supply the mass market 

for speech communication services. 

As a favourably priced technology 

covering terrestrial radio communication 

GSM will maintain its dominant 

position well into the next 

century." 

FORCE FOR GROWTH 

OF DATA SERVICES 

"Data services are becoming the 

driving force pushing forward development 

of the network. Back in 

1994 GSM data links started with a 

rate of 9.6 kbps. GSM HSCSD (High 

Speed Circuit Switched Data) links 

followed in 1998 at 57.6 kbps. GPRS 

(GSM General Packet Radio Service) 

links at 171.2 kbps are being introduced 

at the end of 1999. The user 

(Fig. Nokia) 

era as the next stage of development. 

Voice mail and e-mail will 

merge to become 'Mobile Multimedia 

Mail'. Work will no longer 

be tied to a certain office or a 

certain time but will take place 

in mobile 'virtual work cells'." 

terminal now has the status of an 

IP host in the local network. Moreover, 

Nokia is planning GSM EDGE 

transmission circuits (modified 

GSM modulation) at more than 

384 kbps. The effective user speeds 

are as much as three to four times 

higher as a result of using V.42bis 

compression." 

16 


DIVERSE 

SYSTEM STRUCTURES 

"With the third-generation technology, 

Nokia will strive for a 

breakthrough in mobile communication 

costs that allows lower data 

transmission charges and consequently 

opens up wider market potential 

for 'Personal Multimedia'. 

WCDMA mobile communication 

mission rates from 144 kbps to 

512 kbps, and at the same time 

facilitates transfer speeds of up 

to 2 Mbps for local traffic." 

NETWORK CONVERGENCE 

"Additional services such as ATM 

(Asynchronous Transfer Mode), IP 

(Internet Protocol) packet data 

transfer and Intelligent Network 

(IN) functions are setting up on 

and between private and public 

networks will become more and 

more transparent." 

SEPPO ARJASTO is General Manager 

of the HARTING branch in Finland. 

Info-Fax 4002 

( Fig. Nokia ) 

technology (Wideband Code Division 

Multiple Access) forms the 

basis of future offerings, that will 

enable packet- and circuit-oriented 

services to run in parallel and 

at increased speed. It supports 

favourably priced, wide-ranging 

network supply with data transthe 

enhanced GSM main network. 

Short-range networks are also 

being established to meet the performance 

requirements within 

companies and closed user groups. 

Nokia assumes that the dividing 

lines between telecommunications 

and data communication, between 

mobile and conventional network 

17 


18 




GUEST CONTRIBUTION 

The future of telecommunications 


Josef Brauner 

M 

odern information technology has given us an era of far-reaching 

changes world-wide. Permanent innovation quickly makes the new 

old. Day by day, our market is increasing its speed of development as 

a result of the multiplication of knowledge inherent in the system. 

Completely new production and value-added chains are developing 

from the achievements of the high-tech era. Global networking is 

the instigator of new causal chains, hence the driving force behind 

growing interactions and dependencies. 

kids' room were the winners in 

last Christmas's retail trade, 

tickets for the journey into the 

digital world are being bought 

earlier and earlier. 

As Mark Twain said, "It is hard to 

make predictions, especially about 

the future". And if we take a look 

at the forecasts made ten or fifteen 

years ago, whether in science, 

business or politics, we realise 

how to define humility. More than 

ever, rapid technological and business 

change plays a dominant role 

in important company decisions. 

The future now starts afresh every 

day and requires planning with 

foresight. 

BOUNDLESS GROWTH 

The German telecommunications 

market is expected to grow from 

DM 90 billion in 1996 to DM 154 

billion in the year 2002. In 1995 

1.9 million Internet users surfed 

on the "data highway" in Germany 

and it is predicted that in the year 

2001 the figure will be 16 million. 

Five years ago 10 million people 

world-wide used the Internet. The 

figure now stands at about 160 

million. For the year 2005 forecasters 

are assuming that a billion 

users will be connected to 

each other by the net of nets. On 

the basis of continued broadband 

cabling more than half the households 

in Germany will then communicate 

by electronic mail. 

New users of the new media come 

along every day. The techniques 

required in distance-working and 


professional collaboration are 

practised every day in private 

homes. And the first wave of the 

"N generation", the "net-kids" who 

literally played their way into the 

information age with Gameboys 

are now spilling into universities 

or taking A-levels. PCs for the 

(Fig. Intel) 

If knowledge is the capital of the 

future and information is the decisive 

resource; if, then, applications, 

products and services of the 

modern information/communication 

industries are going to exert 

an enormous influence on the entire 

production and services sector, 

the future without this industry 

is no longer conceivable. In 

even more concrete terms: multimedia 

is the key industry of the 

twenty-first century – a market 

that market researchers call, 

without any intended irony, an 

enormous gap waiting to be filled. 

MULTIMEDIA PROMISES 

The meteoric development in high 

technology will have effects on 

the socially and economically most 

19 


EVERYTHING NETWORKED 

The Internet will play an increasingly 

important role in this. In 

the meantime, the security of the 

Net meets high standards, transmission 

costs are constantly falling 

and the technology offers a 

high level of standardisation. On 

this basis professional information 

technology applications will be implemented 

more and more frequently 

within the Net itself instead 

of locally from the computer. 

This applies both for industry-independent 

applications 

such as office communication and 

for industry-specific applications. 


The future will therefore be determined 

by the convergence of 

technological platforms, the 

standardisation of currently still 

disparate systems and a further 

increase in the speed and quantities 

of data transmission. Forming 

the basis of this are new or 

enhanced technologies. 

PURE COMMUNICATION 

The media industry is hoping that 

broadband applications will pro- 

important fields: information and 

communication, service and consumption, 

management and production. 

Multimedia systems will 

(Fig. Intel) 

network our daily lives and seriously 

change every sector – trade, 

medicine, traffic systems, the 

workplace and working methods. 

In only ten years time a large part 

of office work should be done from 

home using the Internet and intranet. 

With the help of telecommunications, 

30 % of all employees 

now sitting in offices will be working 

in their own four walls on two 

out of five days a week. Specialist 

firms at different locations will 

then combine in a project-oriented 

way into "virtual companies". 

As a result of the increase in home 

workstations, teleworking and 

video-conferencing, the workrelated 

requirement for mobility 

could then fall by about 20 %. The 

consequence would be enormous 

increases in efficiency, which is a 

positive prospect, also from the 

environmental point of view. The 

Delphi report anticipates the 

breakthrough of networked multimedia 

systems occurring between 

2002 and 2007, a period which, incidentally, 

the respected study of 

the future classifies as the "immediate 

future". 

MERCILESS COMPETITION 

It is no longer only the old and 

new telephone companies alone 

that are naturally fighting for the 

vast "future" market, which will, 

in the experts' opinion, be the 

world's largest in the foreseeable 

future, but also computer and 

home entertainment groups, software 

and media companies and not 

least the small inventive engineering 

companies as developers of 

more and more new technologies. 

Entry to this market will be characterised 

by a wave of new enterprises 

the like of which we have 

not experienced in Central Europe 

since the beginning of the industrial 

age. Co-operative deals and 

mergers are becoming everyday 

components of a constantly 

changing market environment. 

In the same way that companies 

are co-operating and merging, 

voice and data communication will 

merge into an information platform. 

For the companies and service 

providers belonging to or 

establishing themselves in this 

industry, it means that complex, 

but also individual solutions must 

be developed and implemented. 

20 



vide further impetus for digital TV 

and the Internet and for the rapid 

transfer of video and audio content. 

Thanks to the new technologies, 

the Hollywood studios could, 

for example, offer their digitally 

produced films directly to individual 

consumer. 

Military interests and state financing 

were involved in the beginnings 

of the Internet. Only highly 

qualified scientists and academics 

had direct access. By the year 

2000 the new media will have 

completed their democratisation 

process and mutated into mass 

media. In the USA the Internet industry 

with a record turnover of 

301 billion dollars already overtook 

traditional industries such as 

energy (223 billion dollars) in 1998 

and created 1.2 million jobs in one 

year. The annual growth rate in 

the Internet business was 174.5 % 

between 1995 and 1998 – and an 

end to the boom is not in sight. 

JOSEF BRAUNER, chairman of Deutsche 

Telekom AG, is responsible 

for sales and services. The former 

chairman of Sony Deutschland 

GmbH has made his mark with numerous 

contributions on the topic 

of the "New Technologies". As an 

"innovative mentor with perception", 

JOSEF BRAUNER is the author 

of the books, "Cyber Society" and 

"The Multimedia Company". 

Info-Fax 4003 

21 




APPLICATIONS 

Pro-Bel routes video signals 

Russ Trayling, Malcolm Jackson 

P 

ro-Bel in Reading, just a short taxi ride from London's Heathrow 

airport, is a global manufacturer of equipment for the broadcast industry. 

The company specialises in innovative high-quality systems 

for controlling, switching and distributing image and sound signals. 

ration of equipment was later christened 

"Eclipse", because the planned 

product launch coincided with 

the total eclipse of the sun on 11 

August 1999. 

The key technical data of Eclipse 

represent a quantum leap and are a 

direct response to the dynamics of 

(Fig. Studio MK) 

the media market. Many television 

companies are constantly increasing 

their program output. The 

Pro-Bel systems cover a wide range 

of applications in the broadcasting number of television channels to 

and postproduction areas both for be operated in parallel, and consequently 

the requirements with 

terrestrial television and cable and 

satellite TV. Without being aware of respect to data compression, are 

it, we will all at some time or other increasing. 

have experienced the impact of 

their equipment on programmes 

At the same time, television operators 

are demanding lower system 

transmitted to our domestic television 

screens. A partnership with 

costs, because a larger number of 

HARTING has existed since 1989. 

channels does not automatically 

Though initially only a component 

lead to a corresponding increase in 

supplier, HARTING is now Pro-Bel's 

revenue – that can only be achieved 

by higher advertising revenue. 

single largest vendor providing a 

full turnkey integrated system. 

ECLIPSE 

In April 1998 Pro-Bel embarked 

upon the development of a completely 

new interconnect strategy 

in support of a state of the art serial 

digital video router. This gene- 

(Fig. Pro-Bel) 

The highest level of cost efficiency 

in television transmission is therefore 

indispensable. 

The most important characteristics 

of Eclipse: 

• 360 Mbps signal transmission 

speed 

• 250 ps pulse rise time 

• Controlled and matched impedance 

backplane 

• High I/O pin density, low crosstalk, 

rear interface connections 

• Extremely high signal integrity 

(operating frequency 1.6 GHz) 

HIGH REQUIREMENTS 

During the development phase a 

number of types of connectors were 

examined for suitability for Eclipse. 

Pro-Bel initially favoured a 2 mm 

hybrid system, featuring integral 

grounding between vertical rows. 

Adoption of this reputed high performance 

connector would have 

led Pro-Bel into a high cost, single 

source scenario. 

HARTING UK, on the other hand, was 

able to prove that the standardised 

har-bus ® HM (hard metric) connection 

system can give comparable 

performance considerably more 

economically. 

The HARTING Central Laboratory in 

Espelkamp was commissioned to 

22 


horizontal contact rows, but the 

HARTING contribution goes beyond 

the 63 har-bus HM connectors. 

propose a configuration for the signal 

and ground pins complying with 

the stringent requirements and to 

supply test data on the simulation 

of the performance specification 

by June 1999. 

The results were unreservedly convincing 

and har-bus HM was chosen 

as the connector system for Pro- 

Bel's new generation of signal distribution 

and routing systems. In 

addition to fulfilling the stipulated 

performance characteristics, the 

har-bus HM configuration also creates 

effective matched impedance 

between two halves of differential 

pairs in adjacent rows. 

FROM PROTOTYPE TO SERIES 

Following an initial prototype run, 

it became evident that tolerance 

build up in the metal subrack, was 

allowing lateral floating of the 

plug in cards. This resulted in a 0.5 

millimetre misalignment between 

the har-bus HM mating halves. Together 

the two companies overcame 

the problem by utilising selective 

location of coded versions 

within connector rows. This effectively 

guided the plug in board into 

position prior to contact mating. 

Eclipse is currently the most technically 

advanced and at the same 

time the most compact routing 

system in its class, meeting all the 

requirements of the SMPTE 259M 

(Society of Motion Pictures and 

Television Engineers) standard. It 

offers a capacity of 128 x 256 channels 

(expandable) on 24 horizontally 

mounted plug-in boards, devided 

into 16 signal, 4 power and 4 

control cards, mounted in a 14U 

subrack (1 U = 44.45 mm). 

The advantages of the har-bus HM 

with respect to packing density 

become particularly clear when 

Eclipse is compared with its predecessor, 

the XD system. The XD 

system offers 64 x 128 channels in 

a 12U rack, which means that with 

a mere 16 % increase in external 

dimensions Eclipse facilitates an 

increase in capacity of an impressive 

400 %! 

A MUTUALLY ADVANTAGEOUS 

PARTNERSHIP 

Eclipse benefits in full from functional 

characteristics such as "end 

to end stackability", mechanical 

coding, gold-plated rear spills and 

vertical connections between the 

In every Eclipse system 34 of 68- 

pin SCSI connectors, a 20-pin IDC 

header, complete pre-assembly of 

the subassembly with fitted backplanes 

and pre-configured cable 

sets from HARTING provide the 

right connection. 

A classic example of a mutually 

beneficial business partnership: 

HARTING provides the integrated 

system hardware thereby allowing 

Pro-Bel to concentrate its 

own resources on further development 

of their leading edge 

proprietary technology. 

RUSS TRAYLING is Materials Manager 

at Pro-Bel Ltd. in Reading, 

Berkshire, United Kingdom. 

MALCOLM JACKSON is Systems Business 

Manager at HARTING LTD. in Northampton, 

United Kingdom. 

Info-Fax 4004 

23 




APPLICATIONS 

Nortel Networks switches GSM connections 

Carol Anderson, Howard Forryan 

T 

he future of mobile telephone switching looks very promising 

for Nortel Networks. With a little assistance from HARTING a committed 

development team has designed the XA-CORE (eXtended Architecture 

Core), a multiprocessor system for the familiar DMS 100 series 

of central office switches designed for the huge switching requirements 

of the new millennium. 

Harold Graham, director of Nortel 

Networks’ "SuperNode Computing 

Development, Carrier Solutions" 

explains, "The rate at which digital 

subscribers are joining networks 

around the world makes it imperative 

that we double and triple the 

number of subscribers we can 

support on a single mobile switching 

centre. XA-CORE is vital to the 

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) 

business. The key element 

of XA-CORE is its multiprocessor 

architecture that provides 

power to add more subscribers to 

the switching system, which is what 

our customers are demanding." 

Residental 

Cellular 

Wireless 

PCs 

Wireless 

Business 

DMS-100 Wireless 

Around three hundred Nortel Networks 

employees from Ottawa and 

Raleigh were involved in the development 

of XA-CORE, which presented 

them with a considerable technological 

challenge. The need to 

develop a midplane solution enabling 

data to be transmitted at sufficient 

speed to keep real time-intensive 

applications operative is 

just one example. Another problem 

lay in the specified minimal space 

requirement of the midplanes. 

Therefore Nortel Networks needed 

a high packing and connection density 

and at the same time the guarantee 

of secure and very fast signal 

transmission. 

Because of its high pin density with 

maximum transmission speed, the 

har-pak ® mini-coax connector system 

from HARTING offered an excellent 

basis. Therefore Nortel 

Wireline 

Business 

Data 

Residental 

Pay 

Phone 

Networks and HARTING decided on a 

joint program to develop a 10-way 

mini-coax connector that was to 

have 2 x 5 rows in a specified cross 

sectional area. To keep the timeto-market 

as short as possible Nortel 

Networks set a tight schedule. 

The HARTING product development 

and design team was able to meet 

these requirements in full. 

The successful conclusion of the 

joint development program provides 

Nortel Networks with a midplane 

that can transmit a data rate 

of up to 112 Gbps. To process calls 

the 16 processors access a total 1.7 

GBytes of memory capacity (shared 

memory). XA-CORE will come onto 

the market in the second half of 

the year. Leading international telecommunications 

service providers 

are waiting with anticipation. 

Info-Fax 4005 

(Fig. Nortel) 

24 


CAROL ANDERSON is responsible for 

public relations in the "Carrier 

Solutions" division of Nortel Networks 

in the USA. 

HOWARD FORRYAN is "Strategic 

Marketing Manager" at HARTING 

LTD. in Northampton, United 

Kingdom. 

25 




ASPECTS 


Birgit Friederike Haberbosch 

14 

million years after the transition from ape to Homo sapiens, 

30,000 years after the first cave paintings, more than 400 years 

after the newspaper was invented, more than 130 years after the 

telephone first started ringing and 5 years after the Internet made 

the breakthrough, communication at the end of the second millennium 

has indisputably become the most important "subsystem" of 

society as a whole. 

Communication is omnipresent. 

We have all developed our own 

And demand is growing ever 

fantasies about technological 

more rapidly because communication 

systems are increasing- 

the field of communication in 

development and its effects in 

ly able to serve greater areas of 

our society. Communication has 

society: no sales without advertising, 

no election campaigns 

portant topics, since it plays an 

always been one of the most im- 

without media events, no public 

trust without PR. In the meantime, 

the media themselves 

have become a topical theme. 

Not to communicate is 

impossible. 

essential part in our daily lives – 

whether consciously or unconsciously. 

The closer we get to the new millennium, 

the more clearly defined 

are the forecasts, which describe 

our world of communication beyond 

the year 2000. In business 

journals and a wide variety of specialist 

publications, we shall be 

providing insights into the extraordinary 

developments in the field 

of wireless communication, on the 

one hand, and networking, on the 

other. 

This realisation makes it clear 

that clever use and efficient 

handling of communication 

has long become a key factor 

contributing to business success. 

Against a background of growing 

competition and ever-decreasing 

product differentiation, the trend 

in modern society is more and 

more towards acting, deciding 

and planning on the basis of 

communication. Consequently, 

communication is regarded as 

an additional innovative success 

factor. 

26 


All these reports, forecasts and 

visions of the future, if they are 

to be believed, make one thing 

perfectly clear: the year 2000 

will witness a development towards 

global networking, not 

only for industry but for people 

all over the world. Communication 

is innovation. 

REPRESENTATIVE FUNCTION 

Whoever possesses communication 

holds the future in his hands. 

Communication allows real events 

to be treated on a second level 

(metacommunication) and thereby 

has a representative function. It 

is only by developing this function 

that it becomes possible to think 

and experience in the past and future, 

and therefore in the dimension 

of time. This possibility enables 

us to place reality next to 

the idea, objective fact next to 

subjective opinion, and gives us 

the means to shape methodical 

thinking and development, and 

therefore also specific expectations. 

Considering that the separation 

of communication and behaviour 

through to the development of 

language took 14 million years, 

and that for around 2 million 

years human beings have walked 

upright and, for the last 100,000 

years or so, have used language 

as their means of expression, 

it actually took a long time for 

writing and the media to be invented. 

The development of language communication 

gave Homo sapiens an 

incomparable advantage – communication 

and understanding 

puts the world at his command. 

The representative function of 

language in the age of the media 

society makes it possible to communicate 

both the past and the 

future simultaneously. 

UNIVERSALITY 

Another opportunity provided by 

communication is its universality, 

as the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, 

discovered 2,500 years ago. Art 

forms other than rhetoric, the art 

of speaking, can only talk about 

themselves, e.g. the art of healing 

about what is healthy and unhealthy, 

geometry about spatial 

characteristics, arithmetic about 

the world of numbers etc. Only 

the art of speaking is capable 

of serving a universal field of 

activity. 

This homelessness of communication 

must not be seen as a deficit, 

but as an opportunity. Communication 

can deal with all subjects, 

everywhere and without any limitation, 

and it permits universal 

access. 

This results in another essential 

condition for communication: if it 

is to deal with everything, it must 

also be able to deal with itself. 

Communication is reflexive 

and permits communication 

about communication. Today, 

in an age long 

after Aristotle, 

we recognise how 

accurate his as- 

27 


sumptions were and what importance 

the universality of communication 

has. 

The consequence of this development 

is the profession of Public 

Relations. 

INTEGRATION FUNCTION 

The third major contribution made 

by communication is the integration 

function, which is derived 

from the law of differentiation. 

This law states (in abridged form) 

that differentiation between simple 

and complex societies is a continuous 

process. Splitting a society 

into subsystems is only possible 

if a reliable integration of 

communication can be guaranteed 

at the same time. 

The need for integration in system 

propagation does not grow on the 

same scale as the propagation, but 

exponentially. The degree of importance 

which communication 

has already attained today in its 

perceived role as an integration 

function is demonstrated by the 

term "media society". But the incredible 

advance of the communication 

media also clearly indicates 

how rapidly the relevance of the 

media system has increased. 

Public Relations are not an invention 

of the modern age. Based on 

Aristotle, one can regard PR as action 

designed to convince, which 

was customary then as today and 

which, as communication, stimulates 

further communication. Systematic 

networking of organisations 

permits an additional increase in 

efficiency. The current interest in 

databases, multimedia and the Internet 

is an unmistakable indication 

of the continuing development 

of the communication society with 

the help of the media. 

Communication spreads its wings, 

and facts are replaced by visions. 

Mass communication is increasingly 

being used with blanket coverage 

to influence perceptions, 

expectations and opinions, i.e. fictitious 

quantities. As a result of 

these world-wide communication 

possibilities, communication is 

acquiring an enormous relevance 

to the global society. 

PUBLIC RELATIONS 

The representative function and 

universality of communication makes 

it possible, with the help of 

the appropriate media, to communicate 

concepts of reality, which 

are no longer analysable. The end 

result of this is that reality today 

is no longer what is real, but that 

which the media portray as real. 

Millions of years passed without 

communication being perceived as 

a socially strategic factor. The last 

50 years, on the other hand, have 

changed the picture radically. Today's 

media multiplicity offers 

amazing opportunities. Whoever 

has possession of communication 

and telecommunication media 

holds the future in his hands! 

28 




APPLICATIONS 

CompactPCI unites computer and telephone 

Gerd Weking 

T 

he year 2000 will soon be upon us and with it the much-acclaimed 

knowledge and information society. The sheer quantity of information 

is growing continuously; available any time, any place, it increasingly 

permeates both our work and our private life. Numerous 

intelligent telecommunications services are already a reality, for 

example guidance of telephone callers by synthetically generated 

voices and automatic routing to the relevant call centre. 

It will not be long before other visions 

also become reality. The in- 

Standards designed to ensure that 

CONVERGENCE OF MARKETS 

telligent mobile phone sends your the computer and telecommunications 

worlds grow together are 

choice of evening meal to your 

home, where the intelligent refrigerator 

checks its contents and 

puter telephony (CT). In addition, 

summarised under the term, com- 

automatically orders any missing 

CT is a synonym for new multimedia 

information technologies, with 

food items via the Internet. Mobile 

communication and the Internet 

which transmission of speech, video 

signals and data can be com- 

are bringing forth new services. 

The growth in networking of intelligent 

communications equipment learning, and another is telephone 

bined. An example of this is tele- 

is also bringing together two sectors 

of industry which used to be 

both of which also illustrate how 

conversation via the Internet – 

clearly delineated – computers 

CT can produce cost savings. Even 

and telecommunications. 

today, CT is already a sector of 

industry that is growing at a tremendous 

pace. New and better 

systems are appearing with evergreater 

regularity. At the same 

time, the compatibility problems 

familiar from current telephone 

systems are to be avoided from 

the outset by intensive standardisation 

efforts. 

STANDARDISATION OF 

SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE 

An important element in computer-based 


telecommunications 

equipment is the integration of 

a so-called telecom bus. When CT 

development began, bus systems 

developed in-house dominated, 

but before long the first steps towards 

standardisation were being 

taken. Since 1996, 140 manufacturers 

and telephone companies 

have joined together in the VoIP 

(Voice over Internet Protocol) 

Forum in order that the same 

level of reliable world-wide accessibility 

is achieved with Internetsupported 

voice data transmission 

as with conventional telephone 

networks. 

(Fig. Intel) 

Similarly, in the USA there is the 

ECT Forum (Enterprise Computer 

Telephony Forum), a grouping of 

leading industry representatives 

with the task of agreeing open 

standards for equipment inter- 

29 


faces and protocols (hardware and 

software). The ECTF initially restricted 

itself to PCI (Peripheral 

Component Interconnect) applications, 

for which the market is only 

now beginning to develop. The 

newly specified telecom bus was 

designed in such a way that existing 

CT standards, such as MVIP-90, 

H-MVIP or SCbus could be integrated. 

PHYSICAL LAYER SPECIFI- 

CATIONS H.100 AND H.110 

The Physical Layer Specification 

H.100 describes the fundamental 

technical conditions for implementing 

the CT bus in a PCI system. 

The transmission protocol 

itself is based on TDM (Time Division 

Multiplex) technology. Now, 

PCs and their subsystems are not 

exactly renowned for extreme 

technical reliability. Furthermore, 

they do not offer various 

characteristics that are essential 

in telecommunications, for example 

expandability and the possibility 

of replacing defective modules 

while the system is running 

(hot swap). 

The following important characteristics 

of the H.110 specification 

should be emphasised: 

• Protocol and interface based 

on H.100 

• Design with 19-inch rack system 

with 6U height module boards and 

backplanes with up to 20 slots 

• Connectors from the har-bus ® 

HM series in compliance with 

IEC 61076-4-101 

• Different plug-in levels for hot 

swap with leading and lagging 

contacts 

• Part assembly of the contact 

blades and divided screen plates 

of the har-bus HM in the CT bus 

module P4/J4 give extended isolation 

between system voltage, 

stand-by voltage and the low 

voltages for the logic functions, 

in compliance with IEC 950 

it was a logical step for the ECTF 

to enhance the existing H.100 

specification to include such 

requirements as hot swap. Thus, 

the new Physical Layer Specification 

H.110 for computer telephony 

on the CPCI bus came up. 

For quite some time now, work has 

been conducted on optimising PCIbased 

systems for industrial measuring 

and control equipment. The 

PICMG (PCI Industrial Computer 

Manufacturers Group) carried out 

the studies and defined the CompactPCI 

bus (CPCI). Since CPCI 

had already brought significant improvements 

in mechanical design, 

30 


PHYSICAL LAYER SPECIFICA- 

TION PICMG 2.5 

Since the PICMG is responsible for 

all CPCI-relevant specifications, 

the H.110 recommendations of the 

ECTF were integrated into the 

Computer Telephony Specification 

PICMG 2.5. 

The 6SU standard board for computer 

telephony on the Compact- 

PCI bus contains the following 

connectors: 

• P1/J1 carries the 32-bit PCI bus 

(the connector is Type A in compliance 

with IEC 61076-101) 

• P2/J2 contains the other connections 

for the 64-bit PCI bus 

(the connector is based on IEC 

Type B, but in a shorter version) 

• P3/J3 is not defined for CPCI-CT 

but can be used for additional 

input and output signals 

• P4/J4 carries the CT bus to H.110 

(the connector is IEC Type A) 

• P5/J5 is reserved for input and 

output signals to other equipment 

in the network, which are 

fed from the rear of the equipment 

to the bus (the connector 

is based on IEC Type B, but in a 

shorter version) 

SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS 

OF CONNECTORS AND 

MODULAR SYSTEM 

CT rack cards can be positioned directly 

next to other rack cards in 

the modular system. Coding elements 

at P4/J4 ensure correct positioning. 

For easier recognition, a colour coding 

has been introduced in addition 

to the physical contour: strawberry 

red is defined for CT rack cards. 

The input and output signals at position 

P5/J5 can be fed via 80 millimetre 

deep rear I/O transition boards 

in compliance with IEEE P1101.11. 

This permits a very compact housing 

design with continuous screening of 

the housing. With the aid of the I/O 

transition boards, line terminations 

and circuits can, for example, be integrated 

for preparation of the incoming 

and outgoing signals, or the 

cable connectors can be simply 

adapted to customer requirements. 

The signal connection from the I/O 

transition boards to the CT backplane 

is via har-bus ® HM female 

connectors and a guide shroud, 

which is pushed onto the rear long 

connection posts of the J5 connector. 

To guide and centre the male 

and female connectors in relation to 

each other, a type complementary 

to the standard, bearing the type 

designation AB, is used at this point. 

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 

The extremely rapid pace of development 

in communications and 

information technology will accelerate 

still further in the new millennium. 

Increasing bit rates and 

falling signal levels are leading to 

new requirements for signal integrity 

and screening in connection 

technology. For this reason, 

the decisive factor influencing the 

quality of a connector will be optimised 

signal transmissions, which 

depends on exact knowledge of 

the influencing factors. HARTING 

utilises Spice, IBIS and other models 

for close-to-real simulation of 

products. Consequently the harbus 

HM marks the beginning of 

a new generation of electronic 

connectors. 

Info-Fax 4006 

31 




TRENDS 

Architectures in transition 

Dave Robak 

A 

s the 20th century draws to a close, computer and network developers 

are concentrating on fundamental improvements to input/ 

output architectures. Even though processor capacities are continuing 

to increase, so-called scaleability, i.e. flexible allocation of I/O 

bandwidth according to the capacity requirement of a specific application, 

must be ensured. 

As the Internet expands and large provide transmission rates in the 

SANs (Server Area Networks) become 

gigabit range. These connections 

more common, the demand can be combined so as to meet the 

for I/O bandwidth will outstrip the foreseeable I/O demands of the 

performance capability of the current 

large servers of the future. By 

standards, PCI (Personal Com- 

grouping together 2, 4 or even 16 

puter Interface) and PCI-X within serial leads, connections can be 

the next one to three years. To be made from computer to computer 

able to make adequate I/O capacity 

which avoid the problems encoun- 

available for the next decade, 

tered with conventional switching 

two technologies are currently 

of 64 or 128 parallel leads (shortterm 

being combined: switched crossbar 

signal peaks). Architectures 

distributors and high-speed 

with high-speed serial lines permit 

serial buses. 

development and application-specific 

scaling of network topologies 

Both NGIO (Next Generation Input with which trouble-free switching 

Output) from Intel and Future I/O from point to point is possible. 

from Compaq / HP / IBM use a network 

of high-speed serial connections 

The basic concept of NGIO consists 

with crossbar distributors to in using a special I/O engine, 

which 

is linked to the host memory and 

communicates with the peripheral 

devices by transfer of messages. 

The processor is completely decoupled 

from the I/O tasks. NGIO 

improves I/O reliability and I/O 

scaleability, and thereby also the 

performance level of the server. 

At the same time, this architecture 

creates reserves for further 

increasing I/O performance, as documented 

in the already approved 

"Performance Roadmap" for even 

faster microprocessors. 

Future I/O sees the technological 

end of development of parallel bus 

systems for high-performance computers. 

The Future I/O network will 

therefore also contain point-topoint 

links, which are supported 

by a switched network structure. 

Other topologies, such as network 

loops are no longer planned. 

Future I/O Performance 

(Fig. Future I/O Developers Forum) 

32 


NGIO architecture (Fig. NGIO Forum) 

NGIO will probably reach the market 

by the end of the year 2000, 

while for Future I/O, the market 

launch is planned in 2001. The advocates 

of Future I/O – incidentally, 

the same group as is promoting 

the launch of PCI-X – expect that 

PCI-X can meet market requirements 

for another year or so before 

a successor has to be ready. 

During this time the Future I/O 

specifications will be worked out 

in detail. 

The competition between the two 

development standards will lead 

to a wide selection of products, 

support services, development 

tools and new applications. For 

existing mainstream applications, 

such as embedded systems or telecommunications, 

it is additionally 

planned to integrate the new I/O 

architectures into existing systems, 

such as VMEbus and CompactPCI. 

The lifetime of the successful 

parallel bus systems can 

thus be extended, while simultaneously 

expanding the network 

by scaling from computer to computer. 

The initiatives, which aim to create 

faster I/O structures are, however, 

bringing a completely new 

group of suppliers onto the scene. 

Companies such as Cisco, Ascend 

and 3Com, which offer hubs and 

routers for IP applications, have 

successfully entered the mainstream 

market in a very short 

space of time and are now preparing 

to compete with the switches 

from Lucent, Nortel, Alcatel and 

Siemens. Another attack on the 

established market players may 

come with a totally new – standardised 

and scaleable – I/O interface. 

For the future SAN market 

it will be a completely new game. 

Representatives of both I/O 

groups are having discussions in 

an attempt to overcome political 

points of disagreement before the 

competing standards split the 

market. One matter of dispute is 

whether the NGIO group is specifying 

the peripheral communication 

in the SAN in too much detail 

and therefore possibly limiting 

competition. On the other hand, 

Future I/O plans to set specific 

standardisation levels for communication 

from ASIC to ASIC, PCB to 

PCB and server to server. Initial 

promises on the part of Future I/O 

tended towards limited specifications 

so as to permit reasonable 

competition. However, many developers 

consider that the standardisation 

levels now planned intrude 

their differentiation domains. 

Users are well advised to look very 

carefully at how the industry once 

again makes a decisive advance in 

terms of speed, I/O capacity and 

interconnectivity. What is coming 

next? Will the technology spiral 

continue to turn at the same 

pace? Can permanent increases 

in performance combined with 

reduced space requirement still 

be achieved in the future? Whatever 

direction developments take, 

HARTING is equipped to support its 

customers with tailor-made connection 

technologies. 

DAVID K. ROBAK is "Director of 

Marketing, Electronic Products" at 

HARTING INC. OF NORTH AMERICA in 

Elgin, Illinois, USA. 

Info-Fax 4007 

33 




PRACTICE 

Connector assembly on SMT boards 

Hartmuth Schmidt, Friedrich Lösing 

T 

he continuing trend towards miniaturisation has also revolutionised 

the assembly of electronic components. For a good 15 years 

now, most components have been secured directly on the PCB surface 

by means of Surface Mount Technology (SMT). By dispensing with drill 

holes in the PCB, a space saving of up to 70 percent is achieved. 

"Pin in Hole Intrusive Reflow" 

technique offer a better solution 

here. These can be mounted at 

low cost, utilising existing SMD 

production lines. 

“PIN IN HOLE INTRUSIVE 

REFLOW” 

In this technique, the connector is 

inserted into plated-through holes 

in a comparable way to conventional 

component mounting. All other 

components can be fitted to the 

PCB surface. 

Fig. 2: Pick-and-place machine for bulky components 

(Fig. JOT Automation GmbH) 

rule, modern SMD production lines 

are equipped with both types of 

machine, and therefore the "Pin in 

Hole Intrusive Reflow" technique 

generally entails no extra investment 

costs for the user. 

Fig. 1: SMT board with connector for "Pin in 

Hole Intrusive Reflow" assembly 

Nowadays, typical components 

such as resistors, capacitors and 

ICs, but also connectors with 

straight terminal pins, are almost 

exclusively fitted using SMD (Surface 

Mount Device) technology in 

mass production. In contrast, angled 

SMD connectors at the edge of 

the board have not been successful 

because of tolerance problems 

(co-planarity) and shear stresses 

during mating. Modified solder 

connectors for assembly with the 

The components are positioned 

using so-called pick-and-place 

machines. These automatic assembly 

machines differ according 

to whether the components are 

small and lightweight or bulky. 

Even connectors are considered 

bulky because their comparatively 

heavy weight and large 

volume make them more difficult 

to grip. 

Furthermore, machines for bulky 

components must have higher insertion 

power to fit the components 

into the PCB holes, which 

are filled with solder paste. As a 

Conventional assembly process: 

1. Application of solder paste 

2. Positioning the components 

3. Positioning bulky components 

4. Reflow soldering 

5. Pressing in or partially dipsoldering 

the connector at 

the board edge 

6. Quality inspection 

"Pin in Hole Intrusive Reflow" 

assembly: 

1. Application of solder paste 

2. Positioning the components 

3. Positioning bulky components 

4. Reflow soldering 

5. Quality inspection 

34 


APPLICATION OF SOLDER 

PASTE 

Before the components are assembled, 

solder paste must be applied 

to all the solder pads (for connecting 

the surface-mount components) 

and the plated-through 

contacts (PCB holes for "Pin in 

Hole Intrusive Reflow" insertion). 

Usually a screen printing process 

is used for this purpose. A squeegee 

moves across the PCB, which is 

masked with screens, and presses 

the solder paste into all the un- 

Fig. 3: Dispenser in operation 

masked areas. To ensure that the 

plated-through holes are completely 

filled, significantly more solder 

paste must be applied than for 

the solder pads on the PCB surface. 

The required quantity can 

be set exactly via several parameters. 

As an alternative to screen printing, 

the solder paste can be dis- 

pensed by means of a pipette. A 

high-precision robot moves the 

pipette to all the required positions 

on the PCB in succession. 

The dispensing method is particularly 

suitable for small PCBs or 

applications, which demand high 

precision and flexible dispensing 

volumes. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 

SOLDER CONNECTION 

There are numerous scientific studies 

dealing with calculation of 

the required quantity of solder 

paste. These studies use various 

parameters, e.g. the shrinkage 

factor of the paste during soldering 

or the thickness of the 

screens used for masking the PCB. 

Since such calculation methods 

are complicated to apply, the following 

rule of thumb has proved 

valuable in actual practice: 

V Paste = 2(V H – V P ) 

in which: 

V Paste 

= Required volume of solder 

paste 

V H 

V P 

= Volume of the platedthrough 

hole 

= Volume of the connector 

termination in the hole 

Comment: the multiplier "2" compensates 

for solder paste shrinkage 

during soldering. For this purpose, 

it was assumed that 50 % of 

the paste consists of the actual 

solder, the other 50 % being soldering 

aids. 

At the beginning of a new production 

batch, the process parameters, 

such as quantity of solder 

paste and soldering temperature, 

can be set by interpreting simple 

Volume of solder paste 

Fig. 4: Plated-through hole with connector 

termination 

cross-sections of the soldered 

connection. A reliable measure 

for choosing optimum parameters 

is the quantity of solder required 

to fill the hole. In soldered connections 

of good quality, the holes 

are filled to between 75 % and 

100 %. 

SMC CONNECTORS 

SMC (Surface Mount Compatible) 

connectors have to withstand 

temperatures of up to 225°C in 

the reflow furnace for 10 to 15 

seconds. Therefore, the moulding 

must be made from a dimensionally 

stable plastic which expands 

at the same rate as the PCB material 

when subjected to heat. 

The length of the connector contacts 

should be such that they 

project by no more than 1.5 millimetres 

after insertion into the 

PCB. Each contact collects solder 

Connector 

termination 

PCB 

35 


on its tip as it penetrates the solder 

paste in the hole. So if the 

contact were any longer, this solder 

would no longer be able to 

flow back into the plated-through 

hole by capillary action during the 

soldering process, and the quality 

of the soldered connection would 

suffer as a result. 

The connector design must permit 

both automatic assembly with 

pick-and-place machines and manual 

positioning for small and test 

batches. It is also important for 

the packaging of the connectors 

to be suitable for machine assembly. 

Experience shows that deepdrawn 

film and also reel packaging, 

which are fed into the pick-andplace 

machines with the aid of 

conveyor systems, are particularly 

suitable. 

HARTING SMC TECHNOLOGY 

HARTING offers its customers a 

complete system concept for integrating 

SMC technology into existing 

production lines. The company 

manufactures a wide range 

of (usually angled) SMC connectors 

(3- and 5-row) in compliance 

with DIN 41612, D-Sub connectors 

in compliance with DIN 41651 and 

connectors from the har-mik ® 

series with contact spacing of 

1.27 millimetres. 

renowned manufacturers of SMC 

soldering and assembly plants. 

To finish with, a summary of the 

advantages of the "Pin in Hole 

Intrusive Reflow" technique: 

• Partial dip-soldering or pressfitting 

is no longer required. 

• Complete compatibility with 

Surface Mount Technology 

• Complete integration into the 

automated assembly process 

• No additional space requirement 

within the production plant 

• As a rule, no additional investment 

costs 

Fig. 5: har-bus ® 64 with clip 

Info-Fax 4008 

In addition, HARTING supports the 

market with packaging and processing 

concepts, which have been 

developed in collaboration with 

36 



37



KNOW-HOW 

Microstructure moulding: a basic technology 


Dr. Hans Kragl 

F 

or long-distance transmission of large quantities of data, optical 

communication systems are used almost exclusively today. As bit 

rates rise and ever stricter EMC standards are demanded, optical 

transmission is becoming an increasingly attractive option for local, 

mobile and industrial systems. 

However, the continuing high cost rors, filters or lenses, and lightcurrent 

of connection modules for the fibreoptic 

converters. The state of 

cables continues to be an 

the art is so-called active coupling. 

obstacle to large-scale use. This 

A precision machine capable of 

article reports on the use of new working to a tolerance of 1 micrometre 

manufacturing processes designed 

or less aligns the component 

to drastically cut the production 

and fibre optimally with each other. 

costs of electro-optical fibre-optic 

modules. 

The machine is guided by a control 

circuit, which uses the launched 

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE 

light as the controlled variable. 

COUPLING 

The adjustment of optical components 

The reason for the high manufacturing 

without using a control cir- 

cost of today's fibre-optic 

cuit, a method known as passive 

modules is the expensive assembly coupling, still suffers from manufacturing 

technology required to meet the 

problems. Aligning (to 

narrow adjustment tolerances between 

the micrometer) the optical com- 

fibre-optic cable, optically 

ponents to the substrate has not 

effective components, such as mir- 

yet been adequately solved. 

To reduce the manufacturing cost 

of electro-optical fibre-optic modules 

means finding a production 

technology for optical and electrical 

components, which meets the 

precision requirements of passive 

coupling in spite of mass production. 

One of the most promising 

methods of achieving this aim is to 

use the microstructure (duplicate) 

moulding technique. Starting from 

an extremely precise specimen, of 

which only a single one is manufactured, 

the duplication is performed 

via multiple microstructure 

electroplating (similar to that 

used in the production of CDs) 

through to mass duplicate moulding 

in plastic. 

(Fig. Deutsche Telekom AG) 

INTEGRATED OPTICAL 

COMPONENTS 

Integrated optical component is 

the term used when the fibre-op- 

38 


Fig. 3: Schematic diagram of microstructure 

duplicate moulding 

tic cable leading in from the outside 

is coupled to a fibre-optic 

element located (or integrated) 

inside the component. Fig. 3 shows 

the manufacturing process: the 

master structure À is made from 

various materials, depending on 

the level of precision required. For 

tolerances smaller than one micrometre, 

it is produced from silicon 

using methods of surface 

micromechanics. For precision between 

one and several micrometres, 

it is produced from so-called 

thick photo-resist, and for waveguide 

structures with cross sections 

larger than 200 micrometres, 

ultrafine milling in metals is 

used. In a microstructure plating 

process similar to CD electroplating, 

the master structure is recopied 

several times in nickel up 

to the 3rd generation Á – Ã. 

Since each nickel copy can itself 

be duplicated several times, a 

large number of 3rd-generation 

mould inserts for plastic moulding 

can be produced from a single master 

structure. The production 

of microstructured plastic substrates 

Ä can then take place 

with numerous mould inserts in 

parallel in a single manufacturing 

process. These plastic substrates 

have grooves where the optical 

waveguides will be produced later 

and the appropriate adjustment 

structures where the fibre-optic 

cables are to be connected. 

The next step in the process is to 

coat the substrate with a transparent 

plastic film in such a way that 

the grooves are filled but the adjustment 

structures do not come 

into contact with the coating material. 

For this purpose, the socalled 

microstructure strip-off 

process is used. In a similar way 

to the mould insert Ã used for 

producing the substrate, a microstructured 

thin metal foil, known 

as the strip-off foil Å, is made. 

It has virtually the same surface 

structure as the mould insert, but 

does not have a cross-piece for 

producing the waveguide groove. 

As a microstructured component, 

the strip-off foil can be manufactured 

with extremely high fitting 

accuracy relative to the substrate. 

If a liquid plastic with a suitable 

refractive index is inserted between 

substrate and strip-off foil 

and cured, an integrated optical 

component Æ is produced which 

can be passively coupled with fibreoptic 

cables via the guide structure. 

Fig. 4 shows a 1x2 splitter produced 

in this way for 1 millimetre 

thick polymer-optical fibres (POF) 

operating with a fibre-optic cable 

connected on one side. 

Fig. 4: 1x2 splitter for 1 mm POF operating 

with a fibre-optic cable connected on one side 

Corresponding components can be 

manufactured for virtually any 

type of fibre-optic cable through 

39 


to single-mode components with 

approx. 9 micrometre core diameter. 

The current development task 

for optimising the production process 

is to increase the yield of 

components with small core diameters. 

The splitter in Fig. 4 has 

a numerical aperture of 0.48 for 

connecting up the standard polymer 

fibre and an excess loss smaller 

than 2 decibels. By using crosslinked, 

transparent plastics, its 

temperature stability is approx. 

130°C. 

MICROSTRUCTURE 

DUPLICATE MOULDING 

FOR ELECTRONIC MODULES 

If it is required to link electrooptical 

semiconductors, such as 

laser diodes or photo-detectors, 

to fibre-optic cables, a high degree 

of adjustment precision in 

the positioning of the semiconductor 

in relation to the waveguide 

is necessary. If, for cost reasons, 

the passive coupling is to be 

inserted via mechanical location 

markings, appropriate adjustment 

structures must be made on the 

substrate (which carries the chip 

and waveguide). This is impossible 

with conventional PCB technology, 

and it is also difficult in the lead 

frame technology widely used today. 

The solution being pursued by 

HARTING ELEKTRO- OPTISCHE BAU- 

ELEMENTE GMBH & CO. KG is based 

on the company's existing knowhow 

in methods of micro-structure 

duplicate moulding with plastics. 

Fig. 5: Microstructure duplicate moulding 

for electronic modules (schematic) 

Fig. 5 shows the manufacturing 

process. In a similar way to that 

already described, a mould insert 

for thermoplastic moulding of a 

metal-platable, microstructured 

plastic substrate is used À. The 

plastic substrate is given a thin 

surface coating of metal Á and 

then mechanically polished Â. The 

metal coating thus only remains in 

the depressions of the plastic substrate. 

As the substrate was moulded 

thermoplastically, it is easy to 

apply mechanical location marks 

for precise adjustment of semiconductor 

chips, fibre-optic cables and 

also micro-mirrors and lenses. To 

Fig. 6: Passively adjusted and bonded RC- 

LED with micro-mirror 

À 

Á 

Â 

Ã 

finish, the semiconductor chips 

are conventionally bonded Ã. 

Fig. 6 shows a passively adjusted 

and bonded RC-LED (Resonant- 

Cavity LED) on a substrate manufactured 

in this way, from the 

company, Mitel Semiconductor. 

The light is launched into the adjusted 

fibre in the mirror plate via 

a micro-mirror. Dissipation of the 

lost heat generated in the semiconductor 

chip is no problem provided 

the metal coatings on the 

plastic substrate are suitably dimensioned. 

The method of manufacturing 

described permits simultaneous 

production of mechanically, 

electrically and optically 

effective 3D structures, in 

which the process used achieves 

a high level of precision itself. 

The products derived from this 

technology carry the designation 

MicroMID ® (Micro Moulded Interconnect 

Device). 

DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE: 

MICROSTRUCTURED OPTO- 

ELECTRONICS 

The two previous sections make it 

clear how passive, integrated optical 

components with a precise surface 

structure can be manufactured 

and how electronic modules 

with the inverse, but equally precise, 

surface structure can be produced. 

If the two surface structures 

are engaged with each 

other, all the conditions for passive 

coupling between optical and 

opto-electronic systems are met. 

40 


Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of 

the "sandwich technique" for electronics 

and optics, which is the 

ultimate goal. The "component 

halves" for optics and opto-electronics 

are manufactured separately. 

It is only at the last production 

step that they are joined 

together passively, but nevertheless 

with high precision, by means 

of an adhesive, soldering or plugin 

connection. 

optic cables. However, optical 

communications are also well on 

the way towards mass use in the 

transportation and automotive 

sector. Finally, the field of industrial 

communications should be 

mentioned, as it will undoubtedly 

also utilise low-cost electro-optical 

components. 

HARTING ELEKTRO- OPTISCHE BAU- 

ELEMENTE GMBH & CO. KG is deter- 

Fig. 7: Hybrid integrated optical component 

in sandwich technique 

PROMISING APPLICATIONS 

In forthcoming years it is to be 

expected that optical communication 

systems will make evergreater 

inroads into all the technical 

sectors where electrical, 

cable-bound data transmission is 

still used at present. Telecommunications 


will be the first areas of 

application to benefit, where the 

technology described will first of 

all be used to develop single-fibre 

transceivers for all types of fibre- 

mined to accelerate the continued 

growth of optical communication 

systems by developing pioneering 

products and systems. 

DR. HANS KRAGL is managing director 

of HARTING ELEKTRO- OPTISCHE 

BAUTEILE GMBH & CO. KG in Bad 

Salzdetfurth, Lower Saxony, 

Germany. 

Info-Fax 4009 

41 



P a n o r a m a 

PRODUCTS & 

APPLICATIONS 

must be resistant to mechanical 

vibrations and electromagnetic 

noise. For each DS-APUS station, 

which can handle around 20,000 

telephone calls, more than 4,500 

reliable connectors are required – 

no problem for HARTING. 

Info-Fax 4010 

TOP PERFORMANCE 

OUTDOORS 

Hanover Fair 1998: Siemens AG was 

presenting a new generation of 

high-voltage outdoor circuit breaksupplied 

several Han EE connectors 

in HPR housing, initially for 

the duration of the trade fair only. 

However, they proved so successful 

that they have since entered 

continuous batch production. Via 

its Added Value Business division, 

HARTING VERTRIEB FÜR STECKVER- 

BINDER UND SYSTEMTECHNIK GMBH 

& CO. KG in Minden, Germany, supplies 

all the required versions of 

these connection cables directly 

to Siemens AG, fully assembled and 

tested – so that performance and 

safety go hand-in-hand. 

Info-Fax 4011 

TELEPHONE BILL 

IN RUSSIAN 

The Czech manufacturer, Tesla 

Karlin a. s., has a long history of 

developing and producing telecommunication 

systems. For more 

than 20 years now, a major proportion 

of production has been 

supplied to Russia. In most cases 

the customers are public telephone 

providers, but the company 

also supplies a wide range of 

equipment for modernisation of 

ageing communication systems. 

The latest development is the modular 

system DS-APUS, a family of 

auxiliary equipment used in crossbar 

exchanges to calculate charges 

and produce detailed telephone 

bills. The most important requirement 

with this technology is system 

reliability. Microelectronic 

modules have therefore replaced 

some originally electromechanical 

parts. Furthermore, the system 

ers. The problem: a lack of suitable 

connection cables between 

the control cabinet on the one 

hand, and the power-carrying pole 

columns, on the other. HARTING 

OPTRAX THE SECOND! 

The HARTING OPTRAX, known for 

plugless, rapid, reliable and lowcost 

connection of synthetic fibreoptic 

cables to transmitter and 

receiver units, will in future be 

available in a far compacter version. 

A new optical element with 

integrated transmitter and receiver 

makes it possible to achieve 

the principle of linear duplex operation. 

The data traffic is bi-directional 

with bit rates of up to 50 

Mbps. All the ambient requirements 

according to IP 67 are fulfilled. 

As before, no special tools 

42 


are required for installation in 

just four steps: strip sheathing, 

fit OPTRAX, engage splicing ring 

and twist tight – finished. This 

makes OPTRAX ideal for universal 

installation in plant, machinery 

and automation applications. 

Info-Fax 4012 

CASHPOINT 

Long gone are the days when you 

had to worry about bank opening 

hours if you needed to draw out 

some cash. Nowadays, cash dispensers 

(or automatic tellers) cough 

up banknotes day or night, provided 

your plastic card and your 

bank balance are OK. Many of 

these machines are manufactured 

by Siemens Nixdorf Retail & Banking 

Systems in Paderborn, Westphalia 

– the market leader in Germany 

with around 20 years of experience. 

To make sure that customers 

can get their hands on ready 

cash quickly and reliably, up to 12 

HARTING lift solenoids (depending 

on the particular machine) are 

used to speed things up. In the 

meantime, the fifth generation 

of self-service terminals are on 

the market, and they can do a lot 

more than just churn out money. 

The new ProCash CRS from Siemens 

Nixdorf is equipped to handle 

all sorts of bank transactions. 

Customers can pay in banknotes as 

well as drawing them out. Unlike 

earlier generations, the cash paid 

in is not simply swallowed up, but 

simultaneously checked, cleaned 

and wound onto wheels so that it 

is ready for paying out again. This 

cuts costs for the operator, and 

the customer's account is credited 

immediately. Of course, if you, as a 

customer, go on a spending spree 

you can't afford, or if you forget 

your PIN code, the cash dispenser 

will promptly confiscate your card. 

But that's got nothing to do with 

the HARTING lift solenoids – honestly! 

Info-Fax 4013 

SERVICE 

ZERO-ERROR STRATEGY 

Integration and miniaturisation 

are producing a high rate of innovation 

in all sectors of communication 

technology. As a consequence 

of this, the quality demands 

made on the connectors 

used, is growing continuously. 

Some time ago, HARTING responded 

to the changed market requirements 

by introducing its "zeroerror 

strategy". Amongst other 

things, this means having a sure 

command of the manufacturing 

process. Targeted detection and 

elimination of weak points in the 

production process reduces the 

number of quality tests and inspections 

required on the product 

itself. Innovative techniques 

drawn from the fields of automation 

and measuring technology 

monitor selected process parameters 

that are directly linked to 

specific quality indicators and/or 

product features. 

Reel-to-reel electroplating may be 

quoted as an example. All the relevant 

parameters are collected via 

a bus system and compared with 

the product-specific set-point 

values stored in a database. The 

associated analysis software was 

developed by HARTING in-house. A 

visualisation system installed at 

the production line itself shows 

the detailed results of the evaluation. 

The data so obtained forms 

the basis for observing and assuring 

the process behaviour, and can 

be used for correlation checks 

between process parameters and 

production features. These, in 

turn, give rise to optimisation 

measures regarding the manufacturing 

tolerances. 

The entire procedure has been 

pushed forward by the HARTING 

Corporate Quality Assurance 

Department. It corresponds with 

the requirements of the CENELEC/ 

IECQ Engineering Approval (EN 

43 


100114-6 and IEC QC 001002-3). 

The aim of the measure is to safeguard 

the entire process chain, 

from development through to 

manufacture and dispatch of electronic 

components, and to subject 

it to a continuous process of improvement. 

Info-Fax 4014 

towards internationalisation – a 

route that is still being followed 

today with full commitment. 

BOTTA BUILDS FOR HARTING 

Ideas, thoughts, visions: a new 

product or a new building always 

presents a challenge. It means giving 

tangible and specific form to 

a philosophy or abstract thought. 

When the German subsidiary, 

HARTING VERTRIEB FÜR STECKVER- 

BINDER UND SYSTEMTECHNIK GMBH 

& CO. KG, relocated from Espelkamp 

to the Westphalian town of 

Minden, Germany, in 1998, the opportunity 

arose to implement this 

approach. In collaboration with 

the internationally renowned architect, 

Prof. Mario Botta, from 

Lugano in Italy, a building is being 

created (it should be completed by 

the year 2001) which fuses ideas 

with form and past with future in 

an ideal manner. Objectives and 

ideas extending far into the future 

of the company are underpinned 

and visualised in stone. 

The site of the new building occupies 

a prominent position close to 

the Museum of Prussia, a listed 

building of historical importance. 

The “Botta-building” and the 

museum harmonise visually and 

VIVE LA FRANCE! 

This year, the 45 or so members of 

staff at HARTING France are celebrating 

the twentieth anniversary 

of the subsidiary. Fierce competition 

in the French components 

market meant that a great deal 

of staying power was required to 

gain a foothold in Paris. Nevertheless, 

HARTING France worked hard 

to build up the company which has 

grown and established itself on 

the market with high-quality, 

innovative products. For the 

HARTING Group, this success represented 

a milestone on the road 

44 


historically, meeting the highest 

architectural standards. Prof. Botta's 

many works include the Museum 

of Modern Art in San Francisco, 

the Tinguely Museum in Basle, 

the Art Gallery in Tokyo and the 

Synagogue in Tel Aviv. He is 

pleased to have been entrusted 

with implementing this "poetic 

crescendo" for HARTING. 

TRADE FAIRS 

PRODUCTRONICA 1999 

From 9th to 12th November 1999, 

Productronica is taking place on 

the new trade fair site in Munich. 

At this biennial exhibition, products, 

production equipment and 

services from the fields of semiconductors 

and components, PCBs 

and racks will be presented. Subassemblies, 

modules, hybrids and 

microsystems are other highlights. 

Productronica is thus the 

only trade fair in the world to feature 

the entire spectrum of electronics 

production. Spread over 

HARTING TRADE FAIR 

PRESENCE 1999 / 2000 

Asia: 

07.-11.10. Seoul, 

Korea Electronics Show 

23.-27.10. Pattaya, MUST 99 

26.-29.10. Tokyo, International 

Robot Exhibition 99 

27.-30.10. Shanghai, EP Shanghai/ 

Urban Transport China 99 

27.-30.03. Shanghai, Nepcon/CICE 

April Seoul, KOFA 

America: 

27.-28.10. Dallas, Nepcon Texas 

Oktober Houston, ISA 99 

Oktober Montreal, Smart Solutions 

Oktober Ontario, Westburne Ruddy 

Oktober Portland, Northcon 

Oktober Rosemont, Electri 99 

13.-16.03. Chicago, ICEE 

Europe: 

04.-08.10. Ljubljana, 

Sobodna Elektronika 

05.-07.10. Paris, Automation 99 

05.-06.10. Telford, Fieldcomms 99 

06.-17.10. Geneva, Telecom 

14.-15.10. Oulu, 

Industrial Electronics 

09.-11.11 Birmingham, 

Autotech 99 

09.-12.11. Munich, Productronica 

23.-25.11. Nuremberg, SPS Drives 

16.-18.02. Nuremberg, 

Embedded Systems 

14.-16.03. Telford, Drives & Controls 

14.-17.03. Moscow, Powertek 2000 

14.-18.03. Nantes, Seipra 

20.-25.03. Hanover, HMI 

21.-24.03. Prag, Amper 

19.-21.04. Moscow, 

Expo-Electronica 2000 

April Poznan, Infosystem 

an area of almost 60,000 square 

metres, around 2,000 exhibitors 

will be presenting an extremely 

wide range of innovations to an 

international public. Of course, 

HARTING will also be present in Munich. 

At Stand 205 in Hall B4, you 

will be able to see interesting new 

products, with the main emphasis 

on electronic connectors. This also 

includes the SMC technology perfected 

by HARTING, which means 

integration of connectors into 

existing SMT assembly lines. 

FORUM 

DIETMAR HARTING 

IS PRESIDENT OF THE ZVEI 

The German Electrical and Electronic 

Manufacturers' Association 

(ZVEI) represents the interests 

of the second largest industry in 

Germany with regard to commercial 

and technological matters and 

also environmental policy. It comprises 

around 1,400 member companies, 

which represent a turnover 

of DM 250 billion and more 

than 850,000 staff. At this year's 

meeting of members, Dietmar 

Harting, general partner of 

HARTING KGAA, was elected president 

of the ZVEI. He succeeds Dr 

Volker Jung, member of the board 

of directors of Siemens AG, who 

had held this honorary post since 

1996. In the history of the association, 

which stretches back more 

than eighty years, Mr Harting is 

the first ZVEI president to come 

45 


from a medium-sized company. In 

his inaugural speech, he outlined 

the main tasks facing the association 

in the future as follows, "The 

central focus will continue to be 

on creation of added value in all 

areas of electrical engineering 

and electronics, and also the market, 

political and social conditions 

which impinge upon them. However, 

the growing importance of 

software in all sectors, and the 

importance of new fields of technology, 

demands a flexible approach 

to the association's work 

on new value adding chains". In 

addition to his position as ZVEI 

president, Mr Harting remains 

chairman of the Electronic Components 

Trade Association (FV 23) 

within the ZVEI and vice-president 

of the European Electronic Component 

Manufacturers' Association 

(EECA). 

Illustrations 

We wish to thank all the companies which have 

kindly provided us with illustrations for this 

tec.News. Apart from the sources actually 

named, illustrations from the following companies 

were used for the composings: Nokia 

(Pages 5, 8, 25, 26, 27), PhotoDisc (pages 15, 

18, 21, 32, 37). 

46 



I n f o - F a x 

+49(0)571 / 88 96 117 

With this Info Fax you can request further information relating to the articles listed below. 

Telecommunications 

and HARTING China 

4001 

Telephone billing 

and HARTING Czech Republic 

4010 

Nokia and HARTING Finland 

4002 

Han ® EE with HPR housing 

4011 

Guest contribution 

from Deutsche Telekom AG 

4003 

OPTRAX 

4012 

Pro-Bel uses har-bus ® HM 

4004 

HARTING lift solenoids 

4013 

Nortel Networks 

uses har-pak ® mini-coax 

4005 

Zero-error strategy 

4014 

Computer Telephony 

with har-bus ® HM 

4006 

New interface architectures 

and HARTING USA 

4007 

Range of products 

4050 

Intrusive Reflow Soldering 

4008 

Vision, philosophy, policy 

4051 

Microstructure duplicate 

moulding and HARTING EOB 

4009 

Quality philosophy 

4052 

Image brochure 

4053 

Image video (nominal charge DM 10) 

4054 

Here you can specify further requests for information, make suggestions for future product developments, request a personal 

advisory discussion or also submit your comments on this issue of HARTING tec.News: 

Name 

Company 

Department 

Title 

E-mail 

Address (1) 

Address (2) 

Country 

Telephone 

Fax 


Austria 

HARTING Ges. m. b. H. 

Deutschstraße 3, A-1230 Wien 

Tel. +43 1/6162121, Fax +43 1/6162121-21 

E-Mail: at@HARTING.com 

Belgium 

N.V. HARTING S.A. 

Doornveld 8, B-1731 Zellik 

Tel. +32 2/4660190, Fax +32 2/4667855 

E-Mail: be@HARTING.com 

Brazil 

HARTING Ltda. 

Av. Dr. Lino de Moraes Leme 

255 - ZIP Code 04360-001 - São Paulo - Brazil 

Tel. +55 11/5360073, Fax +55 11/5334743 

E-Mail: br@HARTING.com 

China 

HARTING (HK) Limited, Shanghai Representative Office 

Room 2302, Hong Kong Plaza South Tower 

283 Huai Hai Road (M), Shanghai 200021, China 

Tel. +86 (21) / 63 90 69 35, Fax +86 (21) / 63 90 63 99 

E-Mail: HARTING@public.shanghai.cngb.com 

Czech Republic 

HARTING spol. s.r.o. 

Jankovcova 2, 17088 Praha 7 

Tel. +4 20 / 2 66 78 41 52, Fax +4 20 / 2 66 78 41 59 

E-Mail: HARTING@HARTING.cz 

Finland 

HARTING KGaA, Office Finland 

Malmin Kauppatie 8 A 3, FIN-00700 Helsinki 

Tel. +358 9 35 08 73 00, Fax +358 9 35 08 73 20 

E-Mail: fi@HARTING.com 

France 

HARTING France 

ZAC Paris Nord II, 181, av. des Nations, B.P. 60058 

F-95972 Roissy Charles de Gaulle Cedex 

Tel. +33(0)1 49 38 34 00, Fax +33(0)1 48 63 23 06 

E-Mail: fr@HARTING.com 

Germany 

HARTING Vertrieb für Steckverbinder 

und Systemtechnik GmbH & Co. KG 

Postfach 2451, D-32381 Minden 

Tel. +49 571 / 88 96 - 0, Fax +49 571 / 88 96-282 

E-Mail: de.sales@HARTING.com 

Great Britain 

HARTING Ltd. 

Caswell Road, Brackmills Industrial Estate 

GB-Northampton, NN4 7PW, 

Tel. +44 16 04 / 76 66 86, Fax +44 16 04 / 70 67 77 

E-Mail: gb@HARTING.com 

Hong Kong 

HARTING (HK) Limited 

4208 Metroplaza Tower I, 223 Hing Fong Road 

Kwai Fong, N. T., Hong Kong 

Tel. +8 52 / 24 23 73 38, Fax +8 52 / 24 80 43 78 

E-Mail: harthk@iohk.com 

Italy 

HARTING SpA 

Via Dell' Industria 7, I-20090 Vimodrone (Milano) 

Tel. +39 02 / 25 08 01, Fax +39 02/2650597 

E-Mail: it@HARTING.com 

Japan 

HARTING K. K. 

German Industry Center 407, 1-18-2, Hakusan, Midori-ku 

Yokohama, 226-0006, Japan 

Tel. +81 45 / 9 31-57 15, Fax +81 45 / 9 31-57 19 

E-Mail: HARTING@olive.ocn.ne.jp 

Korea 

HARTING Korea Limited 

Room 103, Shinwon Plaza Building, 28-2 Hannam-Dong 

Yongsan-Ku, Seoul 140-210 

Tel. +82 (2) / 37 80 46 14, Fax +82 (2) / 37 80 46 44 

E-Mail: hartkrhs@elim.net 

Netherlands 

HARTING B.V. 

Larenweg 44, NL-5234 KA's-Hertogenbosch 

Postbus 3526, NL-5203 DM's-Hertogenbosch 

Tel. +31 73/6410404, Fax +31 73/6440699 

E-Mail: HARTING.netherlands@wxs.nl 

Norway 

HARTING A/S 

Østensjøveien 36, N-0667 Oslo 

Tel. +47 22 / 64 75 90, Fax +47 22 / 64 73 93 

E-Mail: no@HARTING.com 

Russia 

HARTING ZAO 

ul. Tobolskaja 12, Saint Petersburg, 194044 Russia 

Tel. +7/812/3276477, Fax +7/812/3276478 

E-Mail: HARTING@mail.wplus.net 

Singapore 

HARTING Singapore Pte Ltd. 

25 International Business Park 

#04-05 German Centre, Singapore 609916 

Tel. +65 5 62 / 81 90, Fax +65 5 62 / 81 99 

E-Mail: jklam@pd.jaring.my 

Spain 

HARTING Elektronik S.A. 

Josep Tarradellas 20-30 3 o 5 a , E-08029 Barcelona 

Tel. +34 93/3638484, Fax +34 93/4199585 

E-Mail: es@HARTING.com 

Sweden 

HARTING AB 

Fagerstagatan 18 A, 5 TR., S-16353 Spånga 

Tel. +46 8/4457171, Fax +46 8/4457170 

E-Mail: se@HARTING.com 

Switzerland 

HARTING AG 

Industriestrasse 26, CH-8604 Volketswil 

Tel. +41 1/9460966, Fax +41 1/9460970 

E-Mail: ch.zh@HARTING.com 

Taiwan 

HARTING R.O.C. Limited 

7 th Floor, Fu Hsin Financial Building 

222, Fu Hsin S. Road, Sec. 1, Taipei 

Tel. +8 86 (2) / 87 73 85 77, Fax +8 86 (2) / 87 73 85 76 

E-Mail: hartwn@mky.com 

USA 

HARTING Inc. of North America 

1370 Bowes Road, Elgin, IL 60123 

Tel. +1 8 47 / 7 41-15 00, Fax +1 8 47 / 7 41-82 61 

E-Mail: us@HARTING.com 

Eastern Europe 

HARTING Bauelemente GmbH, Vertrieb Osteuropa 

Bamberger Straße 7, D-01187 Dresden 

Tel. +49 3 51/4361760, Fax +49 3 51/4361770 

E-Mail: HARTING.dresden@t-online.de 

HARTING KGaA 

Marienwerderstraße 3 · D-32339 Espelkamp 

P.O. Box 11 33 · D-32325 Espelkamp 

Tel. +49 57 72 / 47-0 · Fax +49 57 72 / 47-4 00 

E-Mail: de.sales@HARTING.com · Internet: http//www.HARTING.com

tec.News - Harting

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