Mouser - White Papers

Mouser Electronics White Paper There is an entire class of vehicles we depend on for so much but rarely see on our roads. These off-highway vehicles, such as construction equipment, mining trucks, agricultural machinery, and industrial service vehicles, operate outside traditional road networks and are invaluable to modern infrastructure and supply chains. They work in mines, quarries, and factories, lifting loads and delivering materials to keep the wheels of industry turning. They also work in agriculture, helping grow and harvest food for a growing population, and can be found at airports or in forests, fighting fires and saving lives. Despite their diverse form and function, these machines share a common set of engineering challenges. The most significant challenges arise from the environments where they operate. Conventional consumer vehicles are designed to work in a range of climatic conditions—hot and cold, rain and sunlight—but they rarely leave the relatively smooth surface of roads. In contrast, heavy vehicles must function in some of the toughest environments. Some work many miles below the ground in mining operations; others travel long distances away from civilization to work in massive construction projects. Off-road industrial machines are unlike conventional vehicles. They must function for hours every day over long periods to return the investment made in their manufacture and purchase. These machines integrate high-power drivetrains, distributed sensors, electrified subsystems, and real-time control systems, all of which must operate reliably under continuous mechanical stress and environmental exposure. This white paper examines the effects of electrification, connectivity, and advanced sensing on off-highway vehicle design and how purpose-built connector systems enable reliable power and data transmission in these demanding environments. From Mechanical Platforms to Electrified, Connected Systems For decades, off-highway vehicles were defined by their mechanical engineering. Their performance was driven by diesel engines and high-force hydraulic systems, and their electronic systems were typically limited to basic control functions. Today, electronics are central to machine design, supporting functions such as electrified hydraulics, regenerative braking, advanced telematics, and distributed sensor networks. Modern heavy equipment relies on various electronic systems to manage machine operation. Sensors, embedded computing, and communication networks are integrated into the vehicle rather than added as separate subsystems. These integrated systems are responsible for more than just basic automation. They improve performance, give operators clearer insight into system behavior, and support remote monitoring and control. For example, today's agricultural machinery incorporates positioning systems and automated control to improve precision and efficiency. Tractors, combine harvesters, and crop sprayers can now function accurately in both human-operated and autonomous modes. In construction and mining, telematics platforms track equipment use in real time, and sensor arrays provide insight into machine performance and environmental conditions. These positioning and tracking systems must operate in environments with constant vibration, dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures, while electrical systems must maintain stable power and data transmission under those conditions. This transition toward electrified subsystems and connected architectures is resulting in fundamental changes in how power and data are distributed throughout the vehicle, placing new demands on wiring and connector systems. Electrification of Heavy Equipment Electrification is changing how off-highway vehicles are designed and built. While electric passenger vehicles have received most of the public's attention, similar changes are taking place within the off-highway sector. Across off-highway applications, electrified subsystems are being added to reduce fuel use, limit idle time, and lower emissions. Forecasts indicate that the off-highway electric vehicle market will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 13.5 percent by 2030. 1 However, fully electric heavy equipment remains relatively rare compared with electrified passenger vehicles. Diesel engines continue to dominate many heavy-duty applications due to their high energy density and longer operation capabilities. A key reason for the slower adoption of fully electric systems is the operating environment, which oftentimes is remote locations where access to electrical infrastructure may be limited. Charging facilities may be located far away from mining operations, large construction sites, and agricultural fields. Large machines also demand substantial energy, making it difficult for current battery technologies to support extended operations. Electrification in off-highway vehicles is not a one-size-fits-all transition. These machines often use more than one motor, along with application-specific subsystems, requiring modular architectures

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