Featured Articles
  • Optics Outpace Copper at OFC 2024

    Bob Hult shares the phenomenal advances in high-speed optical communications showcased at OFC 2024, including interconnects for 200G per lane optical transmission, liquid cooling, co-packaged optics, PAM6, and other technologies that take us far beyond the reach of copper. The 2024 Optical Networking and Communication Conference and Exposition March 24-April 3 in San Diego nearlyRead More

  • ODVA Standards for Industrial Automation

    ODVA standards help ensure interoperability, safety, and security in facilities that that are integrating advanced information and communication technologies into industrial automation. From materials sourcing to the production of goods to final-mile logistics,  multiple levels of connectivity have become an essential part of the manufacturing world. Facilitating seamless communications between a wide range of devicesRead More

Technology

Range and Charge Time are Key in Battery Management System Design

Weight, vibration, and temperature are significant challenges in meeting the goals of long range and fast charging in electric vehicles and battery management system design.  Range and charge time are the main concerns of makers and buyers of electric vehicles (EVs) — how to go farther on a single charge and how to charge quickly.Read More

Rapid Innovation Puts Pressure on EV Battery Connectors

“We’re in the midst of a revolution,” say TE Connectivity’s e-Mobility experts, as automakers make exponential gains in battery performance and electric drivetrain efficiency. The EV battery ecosystem is changing quickly. Automotive OEMs and battery cell and battery pack manufacturers are investing in innovative battery chemistries, new form factors, and interconnects that support charging andRead More

From Phones to Wearables, Device Battery Connectors Deliver Secure Power

As more products go cordless, durability has become an imperative for battery connectors. Batteries enable devices to operate using stored energy instead of a wired connection to an energy source. As more devices that once were wired become available in cordless versions for high-reliability purposes such as medical equipment or industrial equipment, the connectors thatRead More

Electric Powertrain Considerations for Battery-Powered Warehouse Applications

In automated warehouse applications and vehicles, new battery technologies and frequent charging pose unique challenges in the design and specification of the electric powertrain. By Daniel Walldorf, Strategy and Business Development Manager at TE Connectivity As a labor-intensive field, warehouses are dependent upon a workforce to perform tasks ranging from picking line items to managingRead More

Meeting the Connectivity Challenges of AAM & eVTOL

AAM and eVTOL designs are being developed and executed quickly. In this start-up environment, suppliers must maneuver quickly to provide solutions. AAM and eVTOL (advanced air mobility and electric vertical takeoff and landing) designs are being developed and executed quickly, yet the strict requirements for safety, reliability, ruggedness, and longevity remain. In addition, connector componentsRead More

Harsh Environments No Longer Derail Reliability of Railroad Crossings

New connector technologies help make rail crossings safer, easier to maintain, and more resistant to weather and other environmental challenges. From Boston to Los Angeles and all around the world, drivers experience the frustration of waiting at a railroad crossing for a train to pass. While watching the passing rail cars, many of us lookRead More

2022 Top 10 Connector Manufacturers

The top 10 connector manufacturers collectively achieved $43.185 billion in recorded shipments sales in 2021, an increase of +19.3% from 2020 shipments of $36.211 billion. Every year, Bishop & Associates takes a comprehensive look at the connector industry in all its complexity, evaluating the activities of more than 750 connector suppliers over both the pastRead More

2023 NEC Includes Class 4 Certification From UL 

The new Class 4 UL classification standard was published in August 2022 in Article 726 of the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC), specifically for Class 4 cables intended for use with fault-managed power systems. These requirements cover 60-250 °C (140-482 °F), single- and multiple-conductor, jacketed cables for use as fixed wiring within buildings. Class 4 Power, alsoRead More

Connectivity Innovations in Aerospace Applications

The unique connectivity requirements of the aerospace market continue to motivate ongoing innovation. Minimal size and weight, resistance to shock and vibration, high data rate speeds, and high reliability are critical attributes for even the smallest components in aircraft. The MIL-DTL-38999 series of connectors has been around since the 1960s. Its smaller contacts and higherRead More

Planning High-Reliability Aerospace Systems with Hermetic Connectors

Hermetic connectors protect critical electronic systems from harsh environments. Designing in these specialized components requires strategic planning to reduce costs, mitigate risks, increase performance, and maximize longevity. Look up. Millions of hermetic connectors are in the skies above us, creating essential links between cables and electronic circuits in aerospace and defense systems. Found in satellites,Read More

Rugged Connectors in Space Environments

New ruggedized connector solutions reach for the stars with materials and designs that deliver high reliability, flexibility, cost-savings, and meet the strict qualifications for top performance in space. From high vibration and shock during launch, to extreme temperatures, radiation, and electrostatic discharge (ESD), equipment leaving Earth’s atmosphere must endure exceptional rigors, making ultra-high reliability theRead More

Search for Alternative Energy Production is Spurring Innovation

Electronic power and signal connectors will play a key role in the exploration, development, management, and distribution of sustainable energy production. A funny thing happened on the way to American energy production independence. Reducing our reliance on not-so-friendly foreign countries for such a critical resource had become a national security priority. Starting around 2009, aRead More

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