Low-level contact resistance measurements are an integral part of any test plan designed to assess the reliability of electric contacts. Here, APEX explains how to use LLCR measurements to eliminate thermal voltage errors.   Low-level contact resistance measurements are an integral part of any test plan designed to assess the reliability of electric contacts. TheRead More

Medical market sector sales are up 15.3% in 1Q15, driven by the Medtronic/Covidien merger.   Bishop tracks eight companies in the medical market sector. These companies’ combined sales have grown year over year for the past 12 consecutive quarters, ending with 1Q15. These companies grew 3.0% year over year in 2013 and 5.5% in 2014.Read More

Counterfeit cabling can endanger the lives of patients in medical applications and facilities, and engineers and installers should take care to authenticate the cable they’ve purchased. Here are tips on how to identify counterfeit cabling in healthcare facilities.   Medical facilities aren’t immune to fraud: Drug counterfeiting and insurance fraud are a few examples of questionable activitiesRead More

As patient records, diagnostic information, and even the operating theater increasingly rely on networked electronics, the amount of data that must be managed has grown dramatically. Here we’ve excerpted a detailed white paper by Berk-Tek Leviton Technologies on some of the available solutions for increasing speed and efficiency in a facility’s cabling infrastructure.   Hospitals and otherRead More

A network technician without a properly advanced LAN network tester is adding more time and energy to his work, reducing productivity and the bottom line. Here, T3 Innovation offers advice on what to look for in a LAN tester.   Mankind’s greatest leap forward was when we learned how to cultivate tools to make life’s tasks easier andRead More

Electrical noise can seriously disrupt the proper operation of equipment. Insulation protects a cable mechanically from scrapes, abrasion, moisture, and spills, but offers no protection against EMI. Here, AlphaWire offers a primer on choosing the best shielded cable for the job at hand.   Industrial applications are typically electrically noisy environments. Electrical noise, either radiated orRead More

For the latest appointments, certifications, and facility openings, read the news briefs for August 4, 2015.   TE Connectivity has been named a lead partner to Andretti Technologies, the technology incubation and advanced engineering business of Andretti Autosport. The groundbreaking technology partnership will leverage TE’s expertise in sensors and connectors, including its DEUTSCH Autosport rangeRead More

Currently, there are more than 1.6 million industrial robots in service worldwide; will that number grow significantly in the next five years?   According to the IFR (International Federation of Robotics), there have been approximately 2.7 million industrial robots shipped worldwide since the 1960s. With a potential service life of 15 years, that means thereRead More

Ideal for small, rugged applications such as non-industrial robotics, here are some tips for how to specify nano-D connectors.   Nano-D connectors are often designed for use in small, rugged robotic applications beyond industrial environments. Within these applications, the emphasis on a smaller and lighter form factor intensifies. A key consideration is whether you can useRead More

Interoperability standards are being defined and tested to break the data exchange impasse presented by proprietary architectures in unmanned ground vehicles.   Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) can be counted among the unsung heroes of modern warfare. They are the robotic equivalent of the hard-working people one might see on a cable television profile. They possessRead More

A major concern in robotics applications, cables in motion experience fatigue that can cause failures whether or not that motion is constant. Cable and harness test systems can help identify the source.   Cables in motion experience fatigue that can cause complete or intermittent failures, whether or not that motion is constant. Cable and harnessRead More

The rapid growth of cloud computing requires data centers to scale up, but traditional copper presents limitations in distance, bandwidth, and efficiency.   The business of today’s data-driven world is being conducted in the Cloud. The rapid growth of cloud computing requires data centers to dramatically scale up in order to handle the oceans ofRead More