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

Where do Rare or Discontinued Connectors Go?

A network of authorized secondary distributors stocks rare or discontinued connectors. Every year, thousands of new connector designs enter the market. Many of these products meet the needs of new applications, but others replace a previous generation of a similar product. Typically, component manufacturers anticipate these changes and reduce production towards the end of aRead More

Moving Towards a Greener Electronics Industry

e-waste, air pollution, and water contamination are toxic legacies of the electronics industry. But new products and projects are aiming to change that, along with five electronics industry sustainability initiatives that guide the next generation of global electronics development. There is no denying it: The electronics industry contributes heavily to pollution. According to the WorldRead More

M12 Connectors Provide Rugged Performance for Industrial Ethernet

In traditional office environments, Ethernet connections are typically made using the standard RJ45 connector. However, when Ethernet migrates to industrial environments, a wide range of contaminants come into play, making M12 connectors a more durable choice. Ethernet first came into use in computer networking technologies in the 1980s, providing communications on local and wide areaRead More

Three Things to Know About the Connected Factory Exchange

The Connected Factory Exchange (IPC-CFX) is a new IoT standard that guides Industry 4.0 applications. As Industry 4.0 comes into widespread use, the global trade association IPC saw a need to develop a standard to guide applications that operate within these connected and automated smart factory systems. The new Connected Factory Exchange, or IPC-CFX, isRead More

Underwater Connectors Stand up to the Pressure

Underwater connectors in military electronics designed for submarines and other deep-sea applications must endure pressure, temperature cycling, seawater corrosion, and different types of shock. One of the harshest environments military electronics systems must withstand is the deep sea. Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) that dive deep must stand up to high pressure, while submarines must withstandRead More

Electronics Industry Joins Effort to Finalize New North American Trade Agreement

USMCA would impact more than a $1 trillion in trade between the US, Mexico, and Canada. Guidance on issues like IP protections and the automotive supply chain have high relevance to the electronics industry. The electronics industry is joining those calling for a finalization of the US-Mexico-Trade Agreement, or USMCA. In February, the USMCA Coalition,Read More

The Frustration of Archaic Traffic Control Systems

Emerging traffic management equipment represents a bright new market for advanced sensors and many types of related connectors. I like to consider myself reasonably adjusted to the challenges of living in the 21st century, except one: We continue to labor under the dictates of traffic control systems technology that dates from the early part ofRead More

Ethernet Cable for the Internet of Things

Ethernet is the leading network protocol in LAN applications. Today, it’s gaining ground in transportation, automotive, and industrial applications, thanks to new cabling strategies. In the early 1980s, at the start of the Ethernet era, coaxial cabling dominated and cheap yellow Ethernet cable became ubiquitous. In the 1990s, the focus shifted to cabling solutions basedRead More

Love Your Distributor? Tell Us Why.

Bishop & Associates and Connector Supplier are conducting a detailed survey about the factors that make distributors successful in the interconnect industry. Make sure your opinions are heard. 2019 Distributor Satisfaction Survey Every year, Bishop & Associates and Connector Supplier invites our readers and distribution customers to participate in a survey that examines how electronicRead More

OFC Spotlights Optical Connectivity

The Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exhibition explored emerging optical connectivity technologies, including optical transmitters, multi-fiber cables, and connectors. The Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exhibition recently held in San Diego is the prime showcase of current and next-generation optical network communication technology. With over 700 exhibitors and 15,000 registered attendees, this conference filled bothRead More

QSFP-DD Strategies Help Data Centers Keep Cool

The Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density (QSFP-DD) is the industry’s smallest 400GbE module and provides the highest port bandwidth density. Rigorous tests verify its suitability as a next-generation high-density, high-speed pluggable module. The thermal performance of the Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density (QSFP-DD) module has been extensively evaluated for use in aRead More

Connector Supplier’s 2019 How-to-Specify eBook

Our 2019 How-to-Specify eBook contains a collection of best practices and product solutions contributed by industry-leading suppliers dedicated to designing, developing, and delivering connector and cabling technologies with the versatility, durability, innovation, and peak performance required to satisfy challenging application demands across various markets. Topics include connector characteristics, application-specific solutions ranging from consumer to medicalRead More

Analysis of the World’s Top 100 Electronic Connector Manufacturers
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