The intelligent networking of industrial devices promises to deliver productivity gains, but not all manufacturers are ready to make the leap to the smart factory. Connecting efficiency and productivity is key for the future of the industrial sector. As the buzz about “Industry 4.0” grows louder, many people believe it may be just around the corner, butRead More
Hirose’s GT8E Series for automotive offers a high pin count in a small footprint. Hirose announced the GT8E Series, a compact internal wire-to-board or wire-to-wire interface connector that can handle demanding automotive conditions. The GT8E Series connector features a 2.0mm pitch, providing a high pin count in a small footprint. Designed for internal use in ECUs, inverters, and batteryRead More
The JST low-profile LEK series of LED connectors provides reliable contact even in high-vibration conditions. JST Corporation‘s new LEK Series connectors provide a space-saving and low-profile connection for LED lighting and reliable contact construction for high-density applications. Any misalignment of the horizontal connections between the PCBs is absorbed by the LEK plug and receptacle. The spring contactRead More
M-style connectors come in various forms and sizes. Binder explains how to specify M-style connectors and the benefits of using an industry-standard connector. M-style connectors are a standard connecting solution for sensors and actuators in industrial network applications. They are designed to withstand harsh environments while providing reliable data and power transmission to automated machinery.Read More
Top-of-rack switching has become the norm in data centers. What does that mean for data center connectivity solutions? With the advent of top-of-rack (ToR) switching and SFP+ direct-attach copper cables, more data centers are able to quickly implement cost-effective 10G-and-beyond connections. ToR designs originally popped up because data center managers ran out of roomRead More
One solution to the signal integrity and reach issues in copper cabling is the use of active copper cable assemblies. Bob Hult takes a look at today’s technology and where it could lead the industry. The long predicted demise of high-speed copper cables continues to be delayed/frustrated by continuing improvements in the technology of data transmission.Read More
Ensure optimal performance in demanding environments with these tips on how to specify industrial fiber optic cable from Kyle Mrkva of Belden. Fiber optic cabling is applicable in any industrial environment where high-speed, high-bandwidth data solutions are needed. It can be used for campus and in-building data backbones to anchor an operation’s Ethernet, andRead More
Bishop & Associates examined the revenues of 11 companies and found the telecom/datacom cable assembly market 2014 sales racked up growth. Bishop tracks 11 companies in the telecom/datacom market sector. This market has shown four quarters of year-over-year growth, as measured by these 11 companies’ revenues. In 2013, these companies grew 0.1% year overRead More
The Amphenol card|mate wiping connector offers the smallest possible form factor while standing up to 500,000 mating cycles. Amphenol’s card|mate-wiping connector offers extremely small dimensions of 57.0mm x 30.0mm x 5.0mm and a long lifetime of 500,000 mating cycles, which provides crucial product benefits in payment terminal applications. The contacts of the card|mate-wiping are all on theRead More
A call for papers, personnel changes and promotions, new business agreements, and expansion into China are all part of the news briefs for April 7, 2015. The IWCS Conference has announced a call for papers for the International Cable Connectivity Symposium. Past article topics have included cable, fiber, and conductor design; new cable materials; processingRead More
For the new electric and hybrid vehicles, powertrain controls and connectors require the complete functionality of a conventional vehicle, plus the components required to drive the electric motor and charge the Lithium-ion battery pack. Worldwide production of electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) reached two million units in 2014, nearly doubling since 2011 andRead More
Never underestimate the importance of contact/housing retention mechanisms. Serious issues can arise if contacts are not assembled properly or if the retention device is not robust. Connectors retain their electrical contacts within an insulating housing. Some retention mechanisms are more reliable than others. Serious issues can arise if the contacts are not assembled properlyRead More
