[rescue] OT: Cable Question

[Mr Ian Primus]

> Dan Williams wrote:
> > We have a machine which duplicates ide  12 drives.
> The idc connectors
> > are being plugged/unplugged about 10 times a day.
> Does anyone know of
> > anywhere that sells something more rugged or
> reliable then the
> > standard type. They are breaking very often due to
> people pulling them
> > too hard.

The main problem is that your typical crimp type IDC
connector is _not_ designed to be yanked out and
reinserted many times. That, and people like to yank
out these connectors by pulling hard on the cable -
this puts stress right where the cable is crimped into
the connector, and will soon break the thin plastic of
the top of the connector and yank out the cable. You
need to find the type of cable that has a second,
plastic strip over the top of the connector, with the
cable doubled back through it. Or, better yet, the
type that has a plastic strap on it to pull from.
These types will still break, but it's less likely.

Another option would be to "strengthen" cables with
super glue before they break, and ensure that they are
removed and reinserted carefully. Instruct your users
to be careful and pull slowly and gently. If they
continue yanking out the connectors, they are going to
break - this is true of most things. I'm sorry, but if
users don't have the ability to treat the equipment
with respect, then maybe they don't need to be using
it :) Accidents can and will happen, and all
mechanical interconnects will break with repeated use,
but there is no excuse for "roughhousing".

-Ian