In heavy industries, vibration, temperature extremes, chemicals, and fluids take their toll on electrical systems. Just one small leak or fault in an electrical system can stop farming operations, cripple a military vehicle, or immobilize a fire truck. Harsh environment connectors feature several design elements to help protect connections. These features include durable contacts, watertightRead More

Circuit board modules used for watch band concept   The ability to cram more powerful electronics into smaller spaces has made portable equipment a pace-setting field for the electronics industry. Smartphones have become the flag bearer for this movement, but smart watches are rapidly ramping up the competition. Early generation watches were fairly large, soRead More

USB Type-C connectors bring bi-directional power and data transmission, simpler connectivity   Since its introduction in the 1990s, Universal Serial Bus (USB) has become a ubiquitous connector protocol, enabling standardized connections between computers and peripheral devices, such as keyboards, printers, and external disk drives. USB connections are now commonly used for smartphones, portable electronics, andRead More

Check out this week’s product roundup for information about some of the newest and most impactful USB product solutions available.   USB Products TE Connectivity’s USB Type-C connectors offer one of the smallest dual-row SMT footprints available on the market. The compact, splash-proof, mid-mounting receptacles deliver 25% space savings, industry-leading EMI and IP4X-rated ingress protection,Read More

Several trends were apparent at last week’s DesignCon 2017 conference. Foremost among them was the advance of copper solutions that include wiring as an alternative to PCB traces.   DesignCon 2017 opened amid a thoroughly drenched Bay Area, but did not deter more than 5,000 attendees to this premier exhibition of leading edge electronic design,Read More

Microcontrollers and sensors are generally seen as the dominant devices leading the growth of automotive electronics. But basic electromechanical components like connectors are key enablers in the drive to add more features and functions.   The digital revolution in autos wouldn’t be possible without continued improvements in connectors, which are seeing stable growth. The connectorRead More

Huge growth in sensors is helping fuel a shift to Ethernet and other alternatives as a way to reduce the bulk of wiring harnesses. Connector demand should grow as more modules are added.   Vehicle Networking The number of sensors on passenger cars has exploded over the past few years, and there’s no sign ofRead More

Miniature, high-reliability interconnect products with enhanced resistance to shock, vibration, and ingress provide essential electrical and mechanical connections between the wires, cables, PCBs, IC packages, and batteries critical to the operation of an increasingly interconnected system of intelligent automotive technologies. Check out this week’s product roundup for some of the latest and most impactful introductionsRead More

Semiconductor suppliers and data center managers keep increasing the volumes of data flowing through cables. That’s putting a lot of pressure on connector makers who have to meet these demands while reducing size. Optics may provide a solution.   The semiconductor industry has done an incredible job of increasing data rates and memory capacity, twoRead More

Technical sessions at DesignCon 2017 in Santa Clara will examine next-generation technologies for speedy, compact connectors, while booths on the show floor will give users a place to see the newest commercial implementations for a broad range of applications.   The soaring demand for more data is putting pressure on connector makers who need toRead More

Fiber optic connectors are used to mechanically couple and align the ends of optical fibers in wide bandwidth applications that require connect/disconnect capabilities.   Widely employed throughout the telecom, datacom, industrial networking, test and measurement, aerospace, and avionics industries, fiber optic connectors are available in a variety of connector styles with different dimensions and methodsRead More

Design engineers and purchasing personnel want to use the best connector companies for their design and purchasing requirements. However, identifying the best companies is not an easy task. Asking the following questions helps narrow the field.   Identifying the Top 10 Connector Manufacturers Which companies offer the required products and services? Which companies offer fasterRead More