Whether it’s ordering a hot snack or using a personal inflight entertainment system, unique connector designs make it possible.   The next generation of aircraft cabin connectors are designed for quick-change/latching, blind-mate, modular application needs, with gasket sealing and multiple contact arrangements ranging from 20 size-22 power contacts to one size-8 power contact. Options includeRead More

What sources play a role in determining the idea for the next great connector? Bill Garver of APEX looks at the information that helps determine gaps in the market.   One of the most difficult aspects of the new product development process is determining when a new product idea is marketable, if it would be profitable, andRead More

No longer the stuff of superhero comics, the military’s latest soldier defense project is built in part on decades of research and innovation from the connector and cable industry.   For the entire history of warfare, technology has seesawed between the dominance of weapon technology and the dominance of armor technology, and modern war isRead More

The development of the 2mm Metral connector changed the telecom industry forever.   The connector industry is very interesting, in part, because of exciting inventions developed by engineers – some of which have such an impact that the direction of the industry is changed. In the late ‘80s, telecom OEMs were outgrowing the capabilities ofRead More

Increasing demands of growing data volumes force IT professionals to explore better connection options.   Ask five people to define “Big Data” and you are likely to get five different definitions – ranging from broad references about analyzing numerous data sets for patterns and trends, down to very precise specifications for data set size orRead More

From Wi-Fi hot spots to remote radio repeater sites, adapters speed technical work and eliminate costly multiple visits, as this case study from RF Industries demonstrates.     When Eric Black, the owner of LA Unplugged, sends his three installers to build a Wi-Fi hot spot or a wireless local area network (WLAN) to coverRead More

While telecom networks progress beyond 100G, local area and data center networks have more data rate choices than ever before.     The coming of age of Ethernet has brought with it many different networking applications. Carrier Ethernet is embarking on wider adoption along with Ethernet over optical transport networks (OTNs). In the mean time,Read More

Incredible advances in processor and memory technology have mandated shrinking all other electronic components from chip capacitors to connectors and the circuitry that joins them. The connector industry has responded to these challenges by introducing new classes of high-density microminiature connectors.   A basic pillar of the electronics industry has been its ability to stuff more functionality inRead More

In this ongoing series, we look at real-world applications and how interconnects play a role in successful implementations.   The connectors and cables that link software and systems play an integral role in network and enterprise security. For instance, enterprises spend thousands of dollars on the latest lines of security defense, but they’re still vulnerableRead More

Compliant press-fit pins are a key achievement in the development of backplane connector technology. Here’s how they work. Compliant pins, waferized connector designs, modular connectors, egg-crate shielding, air-dielectric designs – we can now look back on inventions like these and put them in perspective. It is interesting to see how a real understanding of the technologyRead More

Today’s complex operating environments require connectors to offer higher density in a smaller footprint while being more rugged, robust, reliable, and lighter weight. Spring-enabled connector technology offers an array of options to conquer these obstacles.      Circular connectors are crucial to the successful performance of electrical devices across a variety of industries. These small,Read More

Built-in circular connectors save design time and cost in medical equipment systems.   Cell phones, laptop computers, and digital cameras all contain electrical connectors molded into their shells, with cables hidden inside hinges and shells and behind displays to save space, weight, and money. In the same way, medical instruments are designed so that standardRead More