Today’s market for mobile electronics requires both innovation and very rapid product development cycles. Configurable connectors in mobile electronics may be the answer.     Today’s market for mobile electronics products is fiercely competitive. Product success requires not only creativity and innovation but also an ability to execute very rapid product development cycles. In manyRead More

Today, redundancy is the de facto standard for any network cabling system, and there are a variety of ways to accomplish it.     Years ago it seemed as if disaster preparedness and redundant cabling systems were considered forward-thinking (and something of a luxury) for many network and data center owners and operators. Today, however,Read More

As connectors continue to shrink in size, we wonder how much smaller they can go. Bob Stanton of Omnetics discusses the factors that will enable further miniaturization, as well as what limitations there might be.     What’s happening with connector sizes these days? The evolution of connectors in our phones and laptops, the changeRead More

Connector companies are meeting SWaP challenges as we move to mobile and wearable devices, but is there a time or a function when tiny is too small?     Electrical connectors just keep getting smaller as companies push size and weight out of their devices. Connector companies have risen to meet the SWaP (size, weight, and power) challengesRead More

Nanominiature connectors provide an ideal solution for challenging wiring systems in the constantly evolving aerospace industry. Here, Radiall offers tips on how to specify the connectors for these applications.     To address the challenges airframers experience in the civil and military aerospace industry, a new format for multipin connectors was introduced. The nanominiature connectorRead More

Once distinct markets, wearables, smartphones, and tablets are merging into one product segment. What does the future hold for these devices and related technologies?      The smart computing device market includes wearables, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. One can define this segment as a market because these previously distinct product areas are converging – andRead More

Next up in our “Connector Basics” series, APEX Electrical Interconnection Consultants offers advice on when and why you need someone with failure analysis expertise.     Something is not working out in the connector manufacturing process or, worse yet, a connector fails in the field – in either case, the failure should land on theRead More

Automotive is the fastest growing market sector for fiber optic connectors.     The market for fiber optic connectors, after years of promising predictions, is finally (really) taking off. From plastic optical fiber (POF) used in automobile communications systems to embedded optics in high-performance computing (HPC), fiber-optic connector use is growing. The largest revenue opportunitiesRead More

CAMI Research shares the top five questions to ask about your new cable and harness tester.     When choosing a cable and harness tester, there are five key factors to address with potential manufacturers: 1. Is it PC-based? A PC-based system is operated by an autonomous (rather than embedded) computer. Being independent of embeddedRead More

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