Avoiding the need for hard wiring, the latest terminal blocks provide safe, secure connections with greater ease. Terminal block designs also offer more flexibility, space savingsCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, accessory options, and integrated intelligence compared to prior designs.
　　Although they are often overlooked, terminal blocks are a critical part of the electrical control system, says TJ LandrumCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, product manager for DIN logic products, Eaton Corp. Important time and space-saving technologies are in wider use, Lan

drum says, including insulation displacement connections (IDC), push-in jumpers, and a vast array of integrated functions. “IDC allows for a secure connection with the flip of a screwdriver; the wires do not need to be stripped控制工程网版权所有, and the risk of screws backing out is eliminated,” he says. This reduces installation time about 60%.
　　Other available control and protection features include fuse terminal blocks, circuit breaker modules, diode terminal blocks, and disconnect blocks. These “help integrate more functionality into a compact DIN rail assembly,” Landrum says.
　　In the last five years, Phoenix Contact also has observed greater IDC acceptance, and growth in what it calls hybrid terminal blocks. Larry Freeland, Phoenix Contact Clipline product marketing manager, says, “In our testing we’ve found IDC can be up to 80% faster than using a screw clamp connection with a manual screwdriver and ferrules. It is also up to 70% faster than spring-cage with ferrules and 50% faster than spring-cage without ferrules.”
　　Hybrid designs feature different connection technologies (such as IDC-to-screw, IDC-to-spring, and screw-to-spring connections) on each side of the terminal block. These are typically used when the machine builder or panel builder is not installing field wiring. The panel builder may use IDC inside the panel while building it and use screw connection for the conductors that come from the outsideCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, which may be favored by the field installerCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, Freeland says. Other flexible, hy