Connector Supplier remembers Paul Andrews, TTI’s founder and CEO, who had a wide-ranging impact on the electronics industry, from distribution to education. Apple famously started in a garage. But Paul Andrews did it first. In 1971, Andrews started an electronics distribution company, Tex-Tronics, in his garage in Austin, Texas. Under his energetic guidance, that humbleRead More

In 2021, we’ll see USB4 begin to appear in computing products and peripherals. The latest iteration of the USB standard will be fast and backward compatible. In the connector world, upgrades usually mean two things: higher speed and more power. This time around, the arrival of a new USB connector also means more compatibility. InRead More

Electric drivetrains are moving into more off-road categories of recreational vehicles. Snowmobiles, personal watercraft, ATVs, and other powersport vehicles are actively adopting connectivity solutions used in motorcycle, e-bike, and automotive designs. Although the development of electric drivetrains for cars, trucks, and mass transit is well underway, two-stroke-engine powersport vehicles such as snowmobiles, off-road vehicles, andRead More

Innovations from the electric vehicle world, like refined battery systems, sensor-rich technologies, and data gathering capabilities, have helped electric bicycle sales boom in 2020. Electric bicycle manufacturers expected 2020 to be a subdued year, as tariffs pushed up prices on their products. Instead, it has turned out to be a record-setting time for sales. PeopleRead More

Distributors have a bird’s-eye view of the complex supply chains that serve the global electronics industry. When the COVID-19 crisis began in China, distributors were among the first to identify the vast impact the pandemic would have on the many markets that depend on the region’s manufacturing capabilities. We spoke with Allied Electronics & AutomationRead More

Adding a patch cable, patch cord, or jumper solution gives designers greater flexibility in system design. Patch cables are relatively simple connectivity devices: They consist of a length of cable that connects two optical or electronic devices and transmits signals through a physical conduit. In applications including data centers, industrial systems, and healthcare equipment, physicalRead More

TTI predicts that safety, automation, connectivity, and electrification will increase demand in electronic content across all modes of transportation. If the connector industry has a crystal ball, it’s probably housed somewhere in the offices of TTI. TTI monitors signals from its family of components distributors and semiconductor companies, analyzes industry sales and inventories, and sharesRead More

From parts for ventilators to initiatives to spur innovation, the connector industry is fighting the pandemic in an international effort that extends across every part of the supply chain. The connector industry is uniquely positioned to directly aid in the fight against COVID-19. Connectivity products are essential to the manufacture of critical medical technologies suchRead More

A unified standard for Ethernet networks developed four decades ago still serves as the foundation of today’s incredible connectivity.  In 1973, engineer Bob Metcalfe proposed a simple but revolutionary method to connect computers in local area networks (LANs) using coaxial cable and a modular connector. Ethernet was born. But that was just the beginning. At first, systems designers were on their own and a wide variety of configurations proliferated across theRead More

The coronavirus has disrupted supply chains, industry events, and product releases, and compelled components suppliers to find new ways to serve customers. The novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 has disrupted every aspect of life in China’s Hubei province and its capitol Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. Hubei is also a major hub for electronicsRead More

Years of hype have brought us to the year 5G was supposed to go big. But we’ll have to be patient to see it make an impact. The hype about the 5G revolution has been intense as every market awaits its arrival and impact. When the fifth-generation wireless network is fully installed and operational, itsRead More

The world’s premier electric car racing series has become an important R&D experience for electronics companies. The 2019–20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship racing season is underway. The globe-spanning electric car racing series kicked off its sixth season with a double header in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, in November. The new Gen2 race car unveiled inRead More