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

Market for RF Connectors Grows to Meet Rapidly Expanding Wireless Demand

As wireless connectivity continues to expand across business, home, industrial, and municipal environments, the demand for RF connectors is growing exponentially. A new market report details the history and forecasts a bright future for this vast product category. By Dave Shaff, Bishop & Associates, Inc. As long as there are wireless systems, there will beRead More

Mil/Aero Connectors Lighten Up for Small UAVs

As drones take a larger role in military operations, the pressure is on to reduce size and weight. A new generation of SWaP-optimized connector products will help. By Ann R. Thryft Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are getting smaller and more powerful as the overall miniaturization trend expands across the broad range of military equipment. AlsoRead More

The Future Soldier is Already Here

High-performance interconnects that transmit power, data, and signal in military-grade radios, tablets, GPS systems, and headsets are helping military personnel fulfill their duties and get home safely. By Amy Goetzman We’re hearing the term “future soldier” a lot lately. If that sounds like a fancy name for robot, you wouldn’t be entirely off-base; tens ofRead More

Press-Fit Pin and Receptacle Solutions for Military and Aerospace Applications

Military and aerospace electronics demand high degrees of system reliability and signal integrity. For these and other applications, precision-machined press-fit pins and receptacles provide an ideal solution. By Stephen Capitelli, Manager of Product Engineering, Mill-Max Mfg. Corp. Sometimes, the products that we take for granted are among the most important. For example, the quality ofRead More

Design Considerations: Connectors for Compact Medical Devices

Compact device size is an overwhelming trend in modern electronics, but connectors for compact medical devices must be safe, easy to terminate, and widely configurable, in addition to small in size and extremely reliable. James G. Dunbar, Product Marketing Manager – PCB Connectors, Phoenix Contact USA Innovations are critical in the medical field, and newRead More

Amazing Therapeutic Exoskeletons Move Into Medicine

Exoskeletons have been around for more than 50 years, but new lightweight materials have spurred growth in therapeutic and rehabilitation products that use compact, rugged connectors. By Caroline Hayes An exoskeleton mimics the insect world’s natural protection. In invertebrates, a rigid external cover protects soft body parts and organs. General Electric and the US armedRead More

Disposable Medical Connector Contact Technologies

Single-use equipment that can be tossed instead of sterilized is in demand for some types of procedures or environments. The connectors inside these devices must be reliable, durable, and affordable.  By Roberta Rebora, Marketing Communications Director, Smiths Interconnect Due to growing concerns about spreading disease from patient to patient via improperly or inadequately sterilized devices,Read More

Listen and Learn: Podcasts for the Tech-Minded

A new podcast by Not Impossible Labs and Avnet explores the potential for engineering minds to help humanity solve some of its greatest challenges. Plus, nine other podcasts for the tech-minded. By Amy Goetzman You might expect that a podcast sponsored by a technology company would be focused on engineering topics. But when Avnet partneredRead More

Recreational Vehicle Manufacturing Reaches New Levels

Modern designs and greater connectivity are advancing sales as the RV market reaches new audiences with millennial and Chinese buyers. By Kevin Russelburg, Director of Non-Automotive Transportation, Bishop & Associates The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) Consumer Demographic Profile shows RV ownership has reached a new peak. Consumer trends also offer promising news on futureRead More

Moving Railway Communication Forward with Time-Sensitive Networking

New technology allows multiple types of data to move along the same path without any sacrifices on either end, ultimately increasing capacity and achieving cost savings. By Richard Weatherburn, Global Vertical Marketing Manager – Transportation, Belden Inc. The need for reliable transportation is greater than ever, driven by urbanization and increased business pressures for efficiencyRead More

Smart LEDs Extend Into the IoT

Embraced by consumers, businesses, and governments, LED lighting is the clear winner in the battle of the bulbs and is now being integrated into an array of IoT technologies. This opens opportunities for the interconnects they rely on. It’s safe to say that LEDs have won the battle of the bulbs. In the last threeRead More

Connectors in the LED Lighting Era

Components for LED lighting connections and controls have evolved alongside current bulb options. Lukas Muth, Product Marketing PCBs and Connection Technology, Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG, Blomberg, Germany The emergence of LED technology spurred a rapid transformation in the lighting industry. At first, preexisting solutions from the fields of device connection and control technologyRead More

Analysis of the World’s Top 100 Electronic Connector Manufacturers
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