The SWaP initiative employed by the US military and NASA has helped connector manufacturers focus on improving smaller and lighter connectors, in particular for custom designs.   As we demand our circuits do more and in smaller packages, we still need reliable power and signal transfer. Today’s designers have a number of new tools andRead More

End launch connectors are intended for critical applications that require high-performance results. Bishop & Associate’s Dave Shaff looks at the technology that drives that performance and offers a primer on specification for particular applications.   End launch connectors are used to transition microwave energy from coaxial to planar transmission-line structures. Test boards, chip demo sets, andRead More

Given consumer demand for mobile products that offer more services in real time, designers need to take advantage of the most effective technologies available – wireless and photonic.   They say oil and water don’t mix, and for the most part that is true. To some degree, the challenges associated with mixing wireless connectivity andRead More

Is it for the sake of technology advancement, broader customer appeal, or just a good business opportunity? Bishop & Associates’ David Brearley looks at why connector giants expand into sensors.    You may have noticed there have been several acquisitions of sensor companies by connector companies in recent years. TE Connectivity, for example, acquired MeasurementRead More

Using robots and imaging technology to make autopsies more efficient and less costly may seem like a no-brainer, yet when we look at the tech at work, virtual autopsies remain controversial around the world.   Who’s afraid of a dead body? Based on the success of television shows like CSI and Bones, it looks likeRead 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

Once reserved for large manufacturing operations, networked wire processing equipment is poised to change how small-to-medium wiring harness shops do business, according to Schleuniger’s Pete Doyon.   Having been in the wire processing business for 30 years, I have seen a lot of changes and improvements made possible, primarily, by advances in electronics and software.Read More

IPC/WHMA A-620-B is an excellent tool for everyone involved in the building of wire harnesses because it greatly simplifies best practices for the harness supplier. The WHMA’s Donnie Hill updates us on the latest revisions to the standard.   IPC/WHMA – A-620-B is the current wire harness standard developed jointly by IPC and the Wire HarnessRead More

Military wearables enhance soldier capabilities, but the next generation of battlefield equipment will require an evolution in connector technology.   New wearables, including augmented reality technology and devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), will not (yet) make the new soldier or airman look like Iron Man, although “Iron Man Suit” is the nickname usedRead More

Connectivity will be key to expanding the world of wearables in the future.   The world of technology is going through another transformation. We went from mainframes to desktop PCs in about two decades; from desktops to laptop PCs in one; and from laptops to smartphones and tablets in less than that. Another revolution isRead More

From its inception, silicon/CMOS photonics was supposed to revolutionize optical communications, but has yet to come to fruition. How much progress has been made so far?   Both Intel and Luxtera have been working on silicon/CMOS photonics for more than 13 years. While we have a few products, its promise of lower-cost, lower-power-consumption optical devicesRead More