Hi all, first post so I hope this is in the right place...

I'm building a test rig for a data logger which relies on various input / output states to do.... various things. Vague, I know, but the specifics aren't really important.

The rig is to include a panel consisting of 64 single-pole miniature switches which simulate electrical signals from various pieces of hardware and, when operated, illuminate an LED (each) and connect power to a 4mm socket (each) for taking oscilloscope readings. Does that make sense?

Anyway, my question is a bit more general - obviously I have many connections to make to common + and -, I've heard there's a method of doing this which involves running a wire / rail and literally soldering each cable along the length. I'm fairly new to working in this field so have not come across this before - I want to make sure it's all done properly so can anyone offer ideas / solutions? I could maybe use terminal blocks and twist cables together to terminate in bunches... what's best?

Thanks for reading!

 

Are you planning to make a PCB or do it manually?

Our datalogger testing rig is full of relays and multiplexers to drive the relays. Being on a PCD all power is routed on board.

There is no problem with soldering cables to a copper wire, but also consider a commoning terminal block.

 

Cheers for the reply - I'll be doing it manually. It's quite a simple arrangement and only a one-off for my own use in the office, so I think a copper wire run as a kind of bus-bar should do the trick.