Small, lightweight interconnects have given a new generation of unmanned aerial vehicles flight instructions for use in delivery, surveying, agriculture, and other industries. Look up, it’s a commercial drone delivering your neighbor’s new toothbrush. Or at least, that’s the dream. The use of commercial drones for delivery has great potential to reduce the costs, traffic,Read More

Innovations, market trends, and costs influence aircraft design, but safety and security remain an unwavering commitment. Precision contacts play a crucial role in the connector design process. As the transportation industry rebounds from the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, market trends, technology innovations, and cost factors are shaping the landscape of new aircraft design.Read More

Billions of electrical connections control various aspects of rail transportation, playing a significant role in global freight and passenger movements. New secure, easy-to-maintain connections help make railways safer. Rail safety depends on multiple factors. Accidents result from human error and track defects, wheels and axles can break over time from heavy loads at high speeds,Read More

Analog sensors gather data needed to track the activities and productivity of equipment, predict maintenance and make repairs, and enable the operations of connected systems. Which connectors should be used to connect these sensors? Analog sensors capture important information about the operations of electronic systems and the world around them. In smart factories, connected homesRead More

A smart ferry equipped with sensors and LoRaWAN gateways can track and monitor passenger comfort and cargo for a sustainable and reliable supply chain. Figure 1 The Stena Line ferry, MV Hollandica is equipped with a dual-band network using Semtech’s LoRa devices in the LongAP Pro gateway. (Image courtesy of SkyLab) Equipping the Smart FerryRead More

Design engineers must overcome many connectivity challenges when handling high voltage and high current levels in electric rotorcraft and urban air mobility (UAM) applications. Electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, rotorcraft, and personal air vehicles (PAVs) employ significant amounts of electrical power to enable vehicle takeoff and maintain flight. As a result, design engineersRead More

Meet the Connector: ISOBUS ISOBUS specifies a method of interoperability between electronics systems for agricultural and forestry equipment, greatly simplifying the process of connecting equipment from different manufacturers. Also known as ISO11783, this standard specifies a method of interoperability between electronics systems for heavy duty equipment types that use separable implements. Technical development of theRead More

This week’s Product Roundup highlights interconnect products manufactured by IRIS-certified manufacturers. IRIS-Certified REP series from Smiths Interconnect is designed for quick and easy mating. The REP panel and cable connectors are a simple, reliable, and highly cost-effective interconnect system for rail applications. A full plastic solution offered in either wire attachment or PCB mounting options provides rapidRead More

Megawatt charging is on track to boost power and reduce charging times to make electrifying all sorts of industrial and commercial transportation vehicles a viable option. Vehicle makers throughout the industrial and commercial transportation market are embracing e-mobility. Electric versions of semi-trucks, vehicles used in mining and agriculture, and regional transportation vehicles, including buses, ferries,Read More

Understanding how different flavors of fiber-optic technologies function in demanding aerospace applications can help designers select the most robust options. UAM (urban air mobility) and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft promise a greener, cleaner alternative to ground transport in cities. Constellations of LEO (low Earth orbit) satellites are launching a new era ofRead More

AAM and eVTOL designs are being developed and executed quickly. In this start-up environment, suppliers must maneuver quickly to provide solutions. AAM and eVTOL (advanced air mobility and electric vertical takeoff and landing) designs are being developed and executed quickly, yet the strict requirements for safety, reliability, ruggedness, and longevity remain. In addition, connector componentsRead More

New connector technologies help make rail crossings safer, easier to maintain, and more resistant to weather and other environmental challenges. From Boston to Los Angeles and all around the world, drivers experience the frustration of waiting at a railroad crossing for a train to pass. While watching the passing rail cars, many of us lookRead More