In 1991, the new Mercedes S-Class debuted as an engineer’s luxury sedan with dozens of innovations, including the first automotive CANbus on a production car. What started in luxury is today indispensable. Cars with internal combustion engines are essentially mechanical devices that, in theory, need little to no electronics to operate. Gasoline engines require sparkRead More

Summary coverage of upcoming industry events, as well as recent award, partnership, promotion, personnel, facility, distribution, standards, association, and certification news from across the connector industry. March 2021 Connector Industry News March 2021 Connector Industry News > Event News  TTI, Inc. is showcasing several new electronic component technologies for both EV work trucks and electrificationRead More

Specifying locking M12 push-pull connectors has become easier with the arrival of a unified standard that ensures compatibility across manufacturers. Locking M12 push-pull connectors are a common choice for industrial and harsh environment applications due to their versatility, durability, ruggedness, and reliability even in high-vibration conditions. These sealed, circular interconnects have become a mainstay inRead More

Cat6 and Cat6A cables are serving today’s most demanding high-speed applications. But Cat8 is on the horizon. The early iconic yellow Ethernet cable has a much diminished presence in consumer and business settings, as wireless technologies have become dominant. More than ever, however, the infrastructure underpinning high-speed wireless network activity depends on Ethernet technologies. DataRead More

High-reliability applications demand robust, reliable, and long-lasting cable assemblies. These nine key considerations will help guide engineers as they select and secure cables for these designs. Designing a robust cable assembly or wire harness that can support high-reliability connector performance, withstand the rigors of rugged operating environments, and streamline wiring designs to fit the needsRead More

Today’s high-performance composite materials make it easy to dispel the misconception that composite cable clamps are inferior to metal clamps in high-reliability, harsh environment applications. Consider these five factors to select the appropriate composite clamps for your most demanding applications. By Matthew Noce, Military & Aerospace Market Manager; Mathieu Desjardins, Senior Design Engineer; Lauren Toye-O’Donnell,Read More

Optimistic technologists have been predicting fiber optics would replace many copper links since the late 1990s, but designers were able to find ways to extend the bandwidth and reach of copper. Now we may be reaching the point where fiber may finally become the most practical solution in an increasing number of applications. Electrical interconnectsRead More

Inventive humans have always sought better, faster methods of communications. Today’s high-speed communications are enabled by high-speed cabling and connectors that are rapidly evolving to give us connectivity on a level we couldn’t imagine only a few years ago — and that will inevitably be left in the dust by future iterations. For centuries, innovatorsRead More

The battle between AC and DC power may be fought all over again as rising demand for power and new technologies converge, bringing attention to direct current’s technical and economic advantages. After a nasty publicity battle between George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison, alternating current (AC) was selected as the electrical power transmission standard for theRead More

Growing volumes of cable and wire in electronic systems have created a need to create order through cable management accessories such as clips, clamps, tubing, braiding, trays, or more complex integrated connectivity solutions. Demand for cable is growing exponentially as electronic systems and devices expand across every market. As automotive systems add electric and autonomousRead More

As government and commercial missions into space become more prevalent, connectivity suppliers are challenged to deliver space-grade connector products that can handle uniquely extreme operating conditions. The joint mission between SpaceX and NASA to send a team of astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) is one of the technology world’s 2020 highlights. In aRead More

IPC is known as the premier standards organization in the electronics manufacturing industry. But as the industry faces tariffs, COVID, and other complex challenges, it’s also become a problem-solving enterprise. When John Mitchell became the president and CEO of IPC in 2012, the organization’s focus was on standards development for the electronics assembly industries, withRead More