Larger manufacturers have employed manufacturing execution systems for years, but many small-to-medium-sized enterprises have yet to adopt such systems. Schleuniger’s Pete Doyon says that looking forward, even the smallest manufacturing companies will need to use them.   A manufacturing execution system (MES) is a software program that manages and monitors production work in a factory. The MES controlsRead More

Industry 4.0 is the point where automation, the Internet of Things, wearables, and customization converge.   “Industry 4.0” is still a bit of a buzzword, but it gets closer to realization every day. Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution. In earlier articles, we discussed the first (industrialization), second (mass production), and third (IT integration)Read More

When it comes to surviving in a hostile plant environment, few would argue against the superiority of the M12 connector system over the traditional RJ45 connector and socket, according to Dietmar Röring of Phoenix Contact.   Ethernet has become a viable alternative to fieldbus systems in industrial networks. Ethernet can also be combined with existingRead More

The primary purpose of a connector design review is to evaluate if the new product meets customer requirements. Here, Bill Garver of APEX Electrical Interconnection Consultants discusses the steps in the process and how to navigate them successfully.   There are usually several design reviews conducted throughout the new product development cycle for electrical connectors. These reviews occurRead More

After seven decades of innovation, LEMO now offers more than 75,000 product combinations, a product range that continues to grow through custom-specific designs.   LEMO is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2016. The company, founded in 1946 by Léon Mouttet in Morges, Switzerland, initially specialized in manufacturing electrical contacts in noble metals for the Swiss post and testRead More

Now that 100G networking equipment is being deployed in both local and wide area networks, it is time to seriously consider what lies beyond.   There are many research and development projects currently underway to answer the question of how high data rates will go, as well as what they will require of the hardware that makes them possible. TheRead More

While not yet pervasive in all sectors, fiber optic connectors are present and growing in all market sectors. In this excerpt from a recent Bishop & Associates market report, we look at the effects they’ve had on data center networks and what is still to come.   Ever since Bell Laboratories developed the first glassRead More

In a recent interview with John MacWilliams, the connector industry veteran shared his best guesses on technology and its effects on the workplace of 2045.   In 2045, your work day will begin in your home office. You may still have a dedicated corporate office space to work and meet in, but the majority of your workRead More

Effective July 3, Chuck Delph will take over as president of Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas as Ed Smith is promoted to senior vice president of Avnet embedded solutions.   Avnet announced that Chuck Delph has been appointed president of Avnet Electronics Marketing (EM) for the Americas region, which supplies electronic components, embedded solutions, and associated designRead More

Once again, Apple is changing the way we communicate. The new Smart Connector, launched in the iPad Pro last November, utilizes two-way conductive communication that creates an instant connection.   Apple’s recently released iPad Pro is changing (once again) how we communicate. The built-in 12.9-inch Retina display is not the big news. The real excitementRead More

DesignCon 2016 featured 33 interconnect manufacturers, all concentrating on ever-higher speeds and improved signal integrity.   DesignCon 2016 opened in the shadow of preparations for Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium, directly across the street from the Santa Clara Convention Center. With more than 160 exhibitors and 4,800 pre-registered attendees, the exposition and conference continuesRead More

The DesignCon community honored Dr. Eric Bogatin with the prestigious Engineer of the Year Award for his many contributions to the engineering industry.   DesignCon 2016, held January 19 – 21 in Santa Clara, Calif., recognized Dr. Eric Bogatin of the Teledyne LeCroy Signal Integrity Academy with its 2016 Engineer of the Year Award forRead More