Oil can inflict molecular damage on the compounds used for cable insulation and jacketing that will ultimately result in cable failure, downtime, and replacement costs. Lapp USA explains how this happens and how to prevent it.     Of all the chemical exposures that can affect the life and performance of electrical cables, oil is oneRead More

At one time, aluminum was the primary material option for heavy-duty connectors, but now plastic is a reliable and viable option.     Over the years heavy-duty connectors have evolved from clunky pieces of heavy metal with contacts to robust, lightweight connectors that can mate with products from other manufacturers. They are also capable of routing signal,Read More

The VFD cable is often an afterthought in the exhaustive research and consultation process to choose an advanced variable frequency drive. Here, Wayne Spence of Amphenol Sine explains why it is critical to the overall system.     The phone rings; your chest begins to pound, and the receiving manager’s voice confirms it’s the moment you’ve longRead More

Electrical noise can seriously disrupt the proper operation of equipment. Insulation protects a cable mechanically from scrapes, abrasion, moisture, and spills, but offers no protection against EMI. Here, AlphaWire offers a primer on choosing the best shielded cable for the job at hand.   Industrial applications are typically electrically noisy environments. Electrical noise, either radiated orRead More

Currently, there are more than 1.6 million industrial robots in service worldwide; will that number grow significantly in the next five years?   According to the IFR (International Federation of Robotics), there have been approximately 2.7 million industrial robots shipped worldwide since the 1960s. With a potential service life of 15 years, that means thereRead More

With industrial market sector sales flat in 2014, it’s not surprising that sales across the sector tumbled in the first quarter of 2015.   Bishop tracks 12 companies in the industrial market sector. These companies’ combined sales contracted year over year in the last three quarters ending with 1Q15. In 2013, these companies grew 0.1%Read More

Poor crimps can slow down a production line. Schleuniger explains how to improve crimp quality to increase productivity.   A high quality crimp termination will usually exceed the service life of the product in which it is installed. On the other hand, a marginal quality crimp termination can cause electrical failures early in a product’sRead More

The material used in a connector design significantly impacts its overall performance. Bob Stanton of Omnetics takes a look at how insulator materials affect connectors at work.   The choice of the material of which a connector is made can greatly affect reliability and performance, and often depends on the environment and application in which the connector isRead More

According to Bishop & Associates’ research, the fourth largest connector market will exhibit strong growth over the next five years.   The industrial market is the fourth largest connector market by share of the total worldwide connector market following automotive, computer/peripheral, and telecom/datacom. This share has been relatively stable over the last five years at approximatelyRead More

The intelligent networking of industrial devices promises to deliver productivity gains, but not all manufacturers are ready to make the leap to the smart factory. Connecting efficiency and productivity is key for the future of the industrial sector.   As the buzz about “Industry 4.0” grows louder, many people believe it may be just around the corner, butRead More

Technological developments in today’s industrial environments require modular systems. HARTING’s Jakob Dück examines suitable interfaces for modular machine design.   After cloud computing comes cloud production. This development has significantly impacted machine construction; there is a need for highly flexible, quickly implementable production machines and lines that are fail-safe and can be cost-effectively mass-produced. The goal is to manufacture theRead More

There are simple ways to customize a connector’s performance to better withstand harsh environments. Remke examines the five connector specs that combat environmental issues.   When establishing electrical connections in harsh environments, standard cable connectors and assemblies often don’t cut it. There are simple ways, however, to customize any connector’s performance. Common environmental issues for connectorsRead More