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

Transportation Connectors Go the Extra Mile

A roundtable discussion with ITT Cannon, TE Connectivity, and AVX Interconnect about connectors and cabling in cross-market, automotive, off-highway and agricultural vehicle, rail, and commercial aviation markets. We talk to three of the connector companies that are innovating components for the transportation market. They share insights on what’s coming next for this exciting and rapidlyRead More

Leaded Copper Alloys Get A New Lease on Life

An extension of the EU exemption known as 6(c) brought relief to the connector industry. Back in 2015, there was a great gnashing of teeth over concern that the European Union would no longer allow the use of lead in certain types of copper contacts. Contacts that are made on precision-screw machines rely on aRead More

Modern Connector Density Eased by Retro Manufacturing Process

Solid machined contact manufacturing, which has been in use for more than 70 years, is now being rediscovered for its power density advantages. By Natesh Kannan Gopalakrishnan, Product Manager, Positronic Sometimes, the solution to a new problem is found in time-tested methods, hidden in plain sight. We’re seeing that today in the supply of electricalRead More

The Top Three Trends in the Electronic Components Segment of the Transportation Market

New automotive technologies are changing the ways that cars are wired. Here’s a look at some of the systems that are rising in importance as automation, electrification, and connectivity take the wheel. By Gabe Osorio, Regional Sales Engineer, Transportation Business Unit, TTI Inc. Rugged, Modular Connector Systems A major emerging technology in the electronic componentsRead More

Automated Vehicles Drive Change in Warehouse Work

Efforts to improve automotive safety are trickling down to the smallest vehicles, including those that never hit the roads. Automated Vehicles The quest to develop safer cars is also influencing the design of smaller vehicles, benefitting manufacturing companies, warehouses, and the people who work in them. A new generation of autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), alsoRead More

New Organization Helps Women Develop Careers in Electronics

A mentorship program builds the skillsets the industry needs to build to achieve greater innovation and success. Innovation and change are the driving force of the electronics industry, and that spirit of change extends to the people that make up today’s electronics companies. As more women are drawn to all areas of the industry, aRead More

The Digital, Automated Eye Exam

A new wave of optometry equipment relies on sensors, high-speed connectors, and the Internet of Things. Until recently, a routine visit to the eye doctor included a series of tests conducted using mostly mechanical tools. The standard optometry devices have continually evolved since their historical origins, but upgrades have been incremental — modern lighting systems,Read More

How to Prevent EMI When Designing an Interconnect Solution for Medical Devices

Electromagnetic interference poses a threat to product functionality as well as patient health. The right shielding architecture can help avoid it. By Zachary Blanden, Industrial Engineer, Nicomatic LP EMI, or electromagnetic interference, is a branch of EMC, which stands for electromagnetic compatibility. EMI refers to the study and mitigation of interference of noise signals toRead More

Mergers and Acquisitions in the Connector Industry

The electronics industry must respond to constant shifts in technology, product development, and market growth. Some companies nurture that capability in-house, while others gain expertise through strategic acquisitions. Here’s a brief history of that strategy as enacted by and upon connector companies. Since 1985, Bishop & Associates has recorded 589 mergers and acquisitions in theRead More

Sensors Expand Possibilities for More Devices

Autonomous machines and the Internet of Things have brought sensors to the forefront of electronics design. As the Internet of Things continues to expand and more applications feature autonomous functions, sensors have become an integral part of many electronic products. They capture the information that brings capability, autonomy, and precision to products in markets rangingRead More

Low-Powered, Battery-Free Cell Phones Could Change Connector Landscape

The possibility of battery-free cell phones poses an existential threat to connector makers — or a new challenge. By Neil Shurtz Ask anyone what the biggest flaw is with their smartphone, and they’ll probably say it’s the battery. Relative to their massively expanded computing power and functionality, cell phones have actually come a long wayRead More

The Internet of Useful Things

IoT technology has enabled life-changing innovations in medicine, security, transportation, and communication. But it’s also unleashed a wave of unnecessary or downright goofy devices. Are we in the Age of Wisdom or the Age of Foolishness? There is little doubt that the Internet has had a huge impact on our daily life. Some have evenRead More

Analysis of the World’s Top 100 Electronic Connector Manufacturers
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