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18 Advancements in Industrial Automation B ehind every good battery management system (BMS) is a great set of signal and data connectors. Why? Because signal and data connectors connect the printed circuit board (PCB) for signal and data connectivity. The groups of PCBs make up the BMS, which controls the charging and discharging and collects data about usage and battery lifetime. But deciding which connectors are best for your BMS depends on your intended application and needs, as well as the work environment. Connecting All Cell-Monitoring Units and Sensors In an automated warehouse, one of the most common use cases for a BMS is in a fleet of electric forklifts. Pairing the BMS data with a telematics unit that can provide real-time data to help operators anticipate preventive maintenance needs across the fleet may reduce downtime and improve efficiency. Telematics could also provide valuable insights into forklift use patterns and help operation managers make better-informed decisions. Selecting the Best Connectors for Your Battery Management System TE Connectivity For example, since the BMS tracks battery usage, temperature, and charging status, operation managers can extract and analyze that data to reveal a need to redistribute workloads across multiple forklifts or change current opportunity charging habits. Forging Reliable Connections between Multiple Electronic Boards and Sensors A BMS is complex by nature, with a variety of options for cell packs, a large quantity of wire-to- board signal connections, and anywhere from four to 34 positions. Plus, all of this complexity is packed into a relatively small space. That means signal connections must not only be flexible to handle a variety of applications, but they must also be compact to fit the space. And vibration resistance is critical as well. Electric forklifts operate in harsh industrial environments, so connections must be rugged enough to provide a secure, seamless connection in the field.