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

A good connector design requires attention to the separable interface front end, the permanent interface back end, and the contact retention area. Bill Garver of APEX Electrical Interconnection Consultants provides a checklist of these design considerations.     There are fundamentally three specific elements of an electrical contact that are used within a multiple-position connector.Read More

Research shows exceptional growth for the automotive connector market, both in the past and future.   The market for automotive connectors has been outstanding in recent years. Pent-up demand for new cars, which resulted from the Great Recession, initially drove the market in the early years of this decade. This was coupled with the growing useRead More

Information networks drive new opportunities for commercial vehicles—both conventional and electric.     Connectors used in commercial vehicles have always needed to provide higher performance under more rugged conditions than those used in passenger cars and trucks. Now they must also facilitate advanced networking under harsh conditions, providing all the benefits of high-speed networks found inRead More

Press-fit connector technology provides highly reliable, cost-effective connections for harsh automotive applications, according to AVX’s Tom Anderson.     As the electronic content in today’s automobiles continues to increase in complexity, spurred by the frenetic pace of technological advancements, so does the need for innovative interconnect solutions for printed circuit boards (PCBs) and electronic module assemblyRead More

Transportation market sector sales for cable assemblies in commercial aviation continue to ascend, as sales growth is driven by regional air travel.   Bishop tracks 13 companies in the transportation market sector. These companies’ combined sales have grown year over year until the first two quarters of 2015. In 2013, these companies grew 2.6% year over yearRead More

Learn more about the latest lightweight COTS options for mixed-layout connectors from Erich Reichenbach of Reichenbach International.     Connectors for the military should be small, lightweight, rugged, reliable, and versatile as they are exposed to various demanding applications and environments. Here are some suggestions for specifying military COTS connectors. Size, Weight, and Shape By conserving fuel, aRead More

Read up on the industry’s latest achievements with the news briefs for October 6, 2015. TTI Inc. received LED manufacturer Kingbright Europe’s Golden Award, which recognizes growth and product sales. The two companies only began working together three years ago. Kingbright offers a broad solution of colored LEDs in various SMD packages from 0201 up toRead More

The main markets for subsea and high-pressure connectors require unique designs that mate when submerged, plus fiber optics and hermetic assemblies. When designers think about exotic applications, they might think about deep space. However, these are gentle applications compared to the severe environmental requirements for connectors used in downhole and subsea projects, where temperatures can exceed +250°CRead More