While secondary sourcing can be a viable option to mitigate supply chain interruptions, many connectors for today’s automobiles are so specialized that finding a second source can mean a whole new set of challenges. The “supply chain” is the process by which a company creates and distributes its products and services to the end users. The execution begins whenRead More

When every penny counts, manufacturers look to wire processing equipment suppliers to help cut production costs and improve the cost per lead. To assist in your next equipment purchase, Komax offers five things to know about automatic crimping machines.   In today’s competitive business environment, wire harness manufacturers are winning contracts by the penny. WhenRead 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

Inside Connection highlights the technologies, innovations, special services, and unique products from connector suppliers like Amphenol Sine Systems. Headquarters: Clinton Township, Mich., US About the Company Industrial@Amphenol is a subsidiary of the Amphenol Corporation and is a leader in industrial interconnect products. The company designs, manufactures, and supplies high-performance interconnect systems for a broad rangeRead More

Electric terminal manufacturers utilize a good portion of their engineering resources to develop new products or improve existing terminals for the automotive industry. Sam Francois of ETCO examines the keys to choosing heavy-duty terminals for automotive applications.   Problems within a vehicle’s electrical system have long plagued the automotive industry. One of the most common areas forRead More

To weigh in on the Star Wars versus Star Trek debate, as well as to read the latest industry updates, check out the news briefs for May 12, 2015. AMETEK Electronic Components and Packaging (ECP) launched a new global website that provides a single, easy-to-use web portal for AMETEK ECP’s three principal businesses: ECP-Packaging, whichRead More

Which is the better option – copper of fiber – in commercial aircraft? Earle Olson of TE Connectivity discusses the benefits of fiber in today’s increasingly sophisticated commercial airplanes.   Commercial aircraft run on information. As aircraft designers embrace the concept of MEA (more electric aircraft) to replace mechanical control systems, embedded computers are evolving to handle increasedRead More

Choosing the right material combinations for a specific application can mean the difference between success and failure. Richard Orstad of Fralock presents a primer on how to specify electrical insulating material.   There are hundreds of decisions required when designing mission-critical electromechanical components. In each of these decisions, choosing the right material combinations for a specificRead More

Pure tin plating has been almost universally adopted, but the looming expiration of a critical exemption is poised to bite manufacturers of screw machined contacts. Bob Hult examines the continuing impact of RoHS. Just when you thought the connector industry had bit the bullet and removed all lead from its products, the looming expiration ofRead 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

Everywhere you turn, you can find LEDs in almost any lighting form factor, and connections are more challenging than a screw-in light bulb. Andrew Bogaczyk of Phoenix Contact explains how to connect LEDs and why the connection counts.   LEDs continue to dominate the lighting marketplace; everywhere you turn, you can now find LEDs in almost any formRead More

In our continuing series on connector basics, Bill Garver of APEX Electrical Interconnection Consultants examines the final step of the connector development process: How to successfully launch a new connector product.   In a previous “Connector Basics” article, we discussed how manufacturers must optimize the talents of their employees so that critical needs are addressed to ensure a successfulRead More