Featured Articles
  • 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

  • The Power of Having Options

    The input/output panel of AI equipment is a prime example of how evolving demands have spawned the introduction of alternative solutions that address bandwidth demand, signal density, field serviceability, energy efficiency, thermal management, and utilization of both copper and fiber optic options. Most people would agree that having multiple choices to solve a problem isRead More

Technology

Commercial Connectors Toughen Up for the Harshest Environments in the Universe

As priorities for deep-space applications change, demand is increasing for low-cost, commercial off-the-shelf connectors that can endure the rigors of space. Deep-space exploration keeps bringing us new information about the sun, the moon, and the planets. For example, data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter recently helped researchers determine that the Moon isn’t dead because itRead More

Testing Microwave Coaxial Cable Assemblies for Deep Space Missions

A comprehensive test regimen can help determine the suitability of microwave coaxial cable assemblies for the final frontier. By Aidan Doran, Senior Product Manager, Space, and John Lewis, Director of Product Management, Defense and Space, Carlisle Interconnect Technologies test Reliability can be defined as performance over time, and in deep-space applications, nothing is more importantRead More

CIMON Says: Design Lessons from a Robot Assistant in Space

Designing a service bot to function in microgravity is a unique challenge. Engineers at Airbus developed an autonomous robot assistant for the International Space Station using commercially available interconnects. By Traci Browne and Paul Golata for Mouser Electronics robot Of the more than 225 visitors to the International Space Station (ISS) in the past 20Read More

How Smartphones and Miniature Device Design Shape the Wilderness

Most designated wilderness areas are uniquely and specifically devoid of human development. But even these remote places can’t escape the reach of smartphones and other technologies. Smartphones have become an indispensable part of everyday life as well as an important tool for serious scientific, educational, healthcare, and public safety pursuits. Early smartphones fused the functionalitiesRead More

Burn-In Testing 101: Testing Electronic Components for Real-Life Durability

This rigorous testing process helps ensure that connectors are durable enough to withstand temperature extremes, use cycles, and other operating conditions. Designers need to know that the components they specify will perform as promised in a finished product. Components reliability can be assured through a variety of testing protocols that are based on the typeRead More

Connectivity is the Future of Automotive Design

In 2020, the world is adjusting to new automotive use patterns and considering competing fueling strategies. Only one thing is certain: Cars are becoming more connected. The future of automotive design centers on the continued development of electric vehicles and the integration of connected technologies within non-electric vehicles. While the adoption of electric vehicles isRead More

Five Aspects of Modern Automotive Design That Depend on Connectors

Evolving connector design has helped transform the driving experience. Better lighting, greater comfort, and advanced safety are just the beginning. Today’s automobiles are more connected than ever before. Automotive electronics deliver the advanced communication needed for performance and comfort throughout the vehicle and enable a variety of safety features for the driver, passengers, and public. ElectronicRead More

Standards Help Ensure Peak Performance for Wire Harness Assemblies

IPC/WHMA-A-620 updates manufacturing requirements for cable and wire harness assemblies to ensure performance as cross-market demand for these specialty components increases. Cable assemblies and wire harnesses are complex, multipart systems comprised of various discrete components and designed to transmit data, power, and signal. These self-contained packages offer multiple advantages to system designers and installers. Wire harnessRead More

Over-the-Board Technologies Raise High-Speed Signals to New Levels

Copper will reach its limits, but connector companies are pushing that day into the future with an exciting array of connectivity products that fly, jump, and pass over the board to increase performance. Design engineers have been grappling for years with the challenges of propagating ever-increasing signal rates in printed circuit boards (PCBs). As dataRead More

Patch Cables Go the (Shorter) Distance

Adding a patch cable, patch cord, or jumper solution gives designers greater flexibility in system design. Patch cables are relatively simple connectivity devices: They consist of a length of cable that connects two optical or electronic devices and transmits signals through a physical conduit. In applications including data centers, industrial systems, and healthcare equipment, physicalRead More

The Open Compute Project Envisions Better Computing Through Collaboration

Applying the open source concept to hardware development could spur the innovation we need to power a more connected future. As people, businesses, and governments transfer more activities to online formats, the global computing infrastructure is being stretched to its limits — and the demand for high-speed connectivity is just beginning. Once fully operational, 5GRead More

Analysis of the World’s Top 100 Electronic Connector Manufacturers
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