Interpower® IEC 60320 Production Increases as Lead-times Soften

A Fanuc LR Mate robot at Interpower’s headquarters in Oskaloosa, Iowa, is gearing up to bend, twist, and spin on six axes to pick up, insert, and inspect contacts for IEC 60320 Sheet F and Sheet J connectors in both snap and screw mount varieties. Currently one Interpower employee inserts and inspects 1000-1200 Sheet Fs and Js during an eight-hour shift.

Interpower Corporation: Lamoni, Iowa Facility

In 2000, Interpower received approvals for their IEC 60320 C13 and C19 connectors having just opened a new manufacturing facility in Lamoni, Iowa, just off Interstate 35 near the Missouri border. The facility produces world-class molded hospital grade cord sets, North American and International electrical cable, and cord sets. For more than two decades, Interpower has produced an array of IEC connectors, inlets, plug connectors and outlets. The line includes their popular C13/C14, C19/C20, and Sheet F and Sheet J outlets. The entire IEC appliance and Interconnection coupler list can be found here:

Accepted worldwide, IEC 60320 components offer universal electrical connectivity by integrating country-specific cords sets (a country’s plug on one end, and an IEC connector on the other) with accessory power system components such as accessory power strips, power distribution units, and jumper cords. Entire electrical designs are built around IEC 60320 components. This type of accessory power system requires no reconfiguration on the customer’s part—the cord sets are ready to use right out of the box.

Dan Ford—Interpower Technical Support Specialist

As Interpower electrical guru and Technical Support Specialist Dan Ford at Interpower puts it: “Accessory power is specifying one plug and socket configuration that is accepted globally for connections between equipment systems. A country-specific mains connection is needed only for the primary power supply connections. This makes it easier to design and build equipment that can be accepted worldwide. The IEC 60320 interconnection system is generally accepted for use throughout the world.”

Stocking & Restocking Shelves

Interpower warehouses IEC products along with its staples of North American and international country-specific plugs, cables, inlets, outlets, and accessory power system components. By continuing to build its inventories from supply chain woes and raw material shortages, Interpower allows customers the option of using less of their warehouse space for these products which can ship directly from Interpower.

This type of “drop shipping,” allows customers to warehouse less stock while ordering products directly from the manufacturer. This method adds an additional benefit: by ordering directly from the manufacturer, customers gain more control over packaging and labeling—it also adds what Interpower calls old-school “value-added” services which are found on the Interpower website: Interpower Value Added Services.

Interpower cords and cable in Oskaloosa and Lamoni, Iowa, are stored in climate-controlled environments and typically on the shelves for only a few days or weeks due to strong demand.

Interpower cords and components are manufactured in accordance with Interpower’s product quality plan: hipot testing, continuity testing, and ground testing with multiple inspections. “We test more than the standards require for our own benefit,” Interpower Product Development Manager Ron Barnett said. “We do so because it lends better reliability to our design.”

Next month in InfoPower, we will dive deeper into the caged, 6-axis robot which automates from a unique cell containing an injection molder, dryer, and resin grinder connected via two conveyor belts.