Featured Articles
  • A Five-Layer Clad Solution for High-Performance Battery Interconnects

    Battery connector design gets super-charged in a case study that demonstrates the power of materials science to solve new connectivity challenges. Article Contributed by Alyssa Koch, Materion Corporation Battery interconnect materials must satisfy a demanding combination of electrical, mechanical, joining, and environmental requirements, properties that are difficult to achieve with a single metal. When nickelRead More

  • USB-C Serves Industrial Design with Rugged Variants 

    The USB-C connector has quickly moved from consumer applications into harsh environments. With 20 Gb/s data rates and IP-rated sealed variants, this connector can handle industrial conditions and serve in controllers, robotics, and peripherals for the factory floor. A new class of rugged USB-Cs and cables elevates this ubiquitous interface. It’s been nearly two years sinceRead More

Technology

Nine Considerations for Building a High-Reliability Cable Assembly

High-reliability applications demand robust, reliable, and long-lasting cable assemblies. These nine key considerations will help guide engineers as they select and secure cables for these designs. Designing a robust cable assembly or wire harness that can support high-reliability connector performance, withstand the rigors of rugged operating environments, and streamline wiring designs to fit the needsRead More

Five Key Characteristics of Military-Grade Composite Cable Clamps

Today’s high-performance composite materials make it easy to dispel the misconception that composite cable clamps are inferior to metal clamps in high-reliability, harsh environment applications. Consider these five factors to select the appropriate composite clamps for your most demanding applications. By Matthew Noce, Military & Aerospace Market Manager; Mathieu Desjardins, Senior Design Engineer; Lauren Toye-O’Donnell,Read More

Will Copper Conductors Hit a Wall?

Optimistic technologists have been predicting fiber optics would replace many copper links since the late 1990s, but designers were able to find ways to extend the bandwidth and reach of copper. Now we may be reaching the point where fiber may finally become the most practical solution in an increasing number of applications. Electrical interconnectsRead More

High-Speed Connectors Usher in New Era of Communications Technologies

Inventive humans have always sought better, faster methods of communications. Today’s high-speed communications are enabled by high-speed cabling and connectors that are rapidly evolving to give us connectivity on a level we couldn’t imagine only a few years ago — and that will inevitably be left in the dust by future iterations. For centuries, innovatorsRead More

ECIA Charts a Resilient Electronics Industry

We talk to ECIA’s chief analyst Dale Ford about how the electronics industry weathered a challenging year with success and how the lessons learned will impact the way it operates in the years ahead. Dale Ford, chief analyst at the Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA), described 2020 as an “unforgettable year.” If that’s one ofRead More

Robotics Help Medical Providers Improve Care

A new generation of robotic medical equipment is helping medical providers deliver automated care protocols, sterilize facilities, and conduct surgical procedures, as well as reduce risk and improve patient outcomes. Surgical suites and intensive care units are some of the most high-risk work environments within hospitals. It is imperative to clean, disinfect, and sterilize surgicalRead More

Waterproof Pogo-Pin Connectors for Portable and Wearable Medical Applications

Small portable and wearable medical technologies give patients and healthcare providers a safer, more flexible tool for collecting vital biometric data and delivering care. These devices handle the harsh operating conditions of the home and clinic with the help of pogo-pin connectors. As the medical world turns to technology to deliver healthcare in new ways,Read More

2020 Mergers and Acquisitions Reflect the Changing Times

An expanding definition of connectivity drove connector companies to incorporate new areas of expertise via mergers and acquisitions in 2020. In 2020, mergers and acquisitions activities slowed down after the brisk pace of the previous decade, but strategic moves continued, particularly as electronics companies continued to position themselves to support customers in an expanding connectivityRead More

A Data-Hungry World is Driving Demand for Wireless Connections

Broadband subscriptions are experiencing exponential growth as global connectivity expands. More users mean more data — and more equipment to deliver it. The most profound change occurring in the technology world is the huge increase in the amount of data that flows through our data communications systems every day. Until recently, we measured this flowRead More

Design Considerations, Tips, and Techniques for 5G Coaxial Interconnects

The adoption of 5G devices comes with an increase in performance pressures for connector technologies. Miniature coaxial connector products in microstrip and stripline versions are rising to meet stringent performance, space, and cost objectives. By Alan Kinningham, SI Design Team Manager, Travis Amrine, Global Industry Marketing Manager, and Adam Nagao, Signal Integrity Engineer – R&D,Read More

ICM Solutions for 5G Cellular Networks

The arrival of 5G networks compels designers to consider new connectivity strategies, including supporting technologies such as integrated connector modules (ICMs). Designers should consider four key questions when selecting components for 5G applications.  The fifth generation of broadband standard, 5G, will deliver the high speeds, low latencies, and abundant bandwidth needed to open up countlessRead More

UAS and Drone Technologies Help Fight Fires From Above

The use of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technologies in wildland and municipal firefighting operations is rapidly expanding, and making fire management safer and more effective for teams on the ground. Firefighters on the ground level have an incomplete picture of the challenge they face. In a wildland fire situation, they cannot see the extent ofRead More

Analysis of the World’s Top 100 Electronic Connector Manufacturers
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