Business was good this year. According to Bishop & Associates’ facts and figures, it was a great year for connectors. This year has been excellent for the electronics industry, especially so for the connector space. Consider the following: Connector prices have remained steady with no measurable price erosion. Raw material costs have fallen off theirRead More

OEMs are hopeful the connectors they specify for end-product designs will be reliable and trouble-free for the life of the product. Unfortunately, connector problems may arise. Ed Reynolds of APEX offers his checklist for recovery after a connector problem. All manufacturers of devices that use connectors are hopeful that the specified connectors will be reliable and trouble-free for theRead More

The connector industry grew in 2014, and that was a result of both evolving product lines and cutting-edge technology. Here, Bob Hult looks back at the year’s trends and products in the annual 2014 Connector Technology Review. Shrinking the size of electronic devices has always been a given in the world of electronic equipment. TheRead More

TTI reports that Industry 4.0 drives the industrial manufacturing sector in Europe as implementation of “smart factory” technology gains momentum. TTI is seeing significant growth among customers implementing Industry 4.0 or “Smart Factory” technology according to Norbert Piefer, European director industry marketing – industrial at TTI. “The Smart Factory concept leads to end-to-end process optimization,” saidRead More

TE Connectivity has shown that a data transmission rate of 100Mb/s can be achieved with standard automotive connectors. There are signs that car manufacturers will opt for Ethernet data bus technology in the future. Its advantages include tremendous topology flexibility and high data transmission speed. Furthermore, Ethernet is a strong contender for the seamless integration ofRead More

Keyssa introduces contactless Kiss Connectivity, a tiny, solid-state system that simplifies secure, instant data flow between devices. Keyssa introduced Kiss Connectivity, a new way to transmit huge amounts of data and video rapidly between devices in close proximity, with virtually no battery drain. Keyssa’s coffee-bean-sized connector combines breakthroughs in mechanical design, electromagnetics, materials science, andRead More

Press-fit technology is widely applied in multiple automotive applications because it meets the needs of smaller, lighter, more durable components in the latest vehicle designs. The basic principle of a press-fit connection is that a contact terminal is pressed into a printed circuit board (PCB). There are two types of press-fit pins – the solidRead More

In this issue, Bishop & Associates reports on the facts and figures of the connector industry’s largest market sector – automotive. Automotive is the largest market sector for connectors, with 2013 world sales of $10,943 million, or 22.3% of world connector demand. The following table identifies the size of the automotive market by geographic region andRead More

We spoke with Joe Venturella, TTI vice president, transportation business unit, and asked how buyers in the transportation sector can best prepare for 2015. Here are five things to know about the transportation market in the new year. CS: Do you have a general outlook for 2015? JV: We see continued growth in the transportation market segmentRead More

In the next article in the “Connector Basics” series, Ed Bock of APEX Electrical Interconnection Consultants looks at the attributes of silver and explains why it’s a superior finish for high-current applications. Connector designers have a wide selection of finishes to consider for high-current applications, both noble as well as non-noble metals. It is importantRead More

Power connectors have wide application in the growing electric vehicle market. Producing them via cold forming could deliver multiple benefits, including enhanced part quality and less metal waste. Tighter regulations on CO2 emissions mean that even Formula 1 cars must now be more fuel-efficient – proof, if it were needed, of the inexorable rise of sustainabilityRead More

The electronic content in light vehicles is increasing, just one reason why the automotive market maintains a steady pace. Bishop tracks 12 companies in the automotive market sector. This market has had slow, steady growth over the last four quarters, as measured by these 12 companies’ revenues. In 2013, these companies grew 0.3% year overRead More