Over the last three decades, a myriad of optical connectors have come and gone, but small form factor connectors are making the choice easier these days. Molex offers tips on how to specify small form factor optical connectors. In a maturing market, there are clear winners that prove superior and push out competing technologies.Read More
Bishop & Associates examined 10 years of connector industry balance sheets, which revealed consistent performance that rewarded investors. The connector industry grew to almost $53 billion in 2014. It is an industry with a good balance sheet and not a lot of long-term debt. Let’s take a look at some of the stats that supportRead More
Plastic optical fiber is an option for applications as diverse as residential wiring and avionics. Here’s a short guide to plastic optical fiber to help you determine if it’s what you need. Installing plastic optical fiber (POF) cabling may be the better choice for networking with infrastructure runs of up to 80 meters that connect toRead More
Restrictive connector terminal solutions can be an issue when specifying aluminum wires for automotive applications. In light of time-to-market issues in the automotive industry, aluminum is the best option for reducing the weight of the electrical distribution system and harnesses. Aluminum has been used in battery and power applications in premium cars for some time.Read More
TE Power Triple Lock wire-to-board headers offer a broad range of reliability and assembly benefits for home appliances and other high-current, high-temperature applications. TE Connectivity introduced new wire-to-board headers as part of its Power Triple Lock connector product line, expanding the family of connectors that targets appliances into a growing number of HVAC, automation and control, and automotiveRead More
The Amphenol Amphe-Coal EX hazardous-rated connectors are explosion-proof circular connectors that are ideal for the mining industry. Amphenol Industrial Products Group now offers an explosion-proof, heavy-duty hazardous-rated connector series that provides outstanding performance in automated process control and instrumentation systems. The Amphe-Coal EX is a miniature version of Amphenol’s Amphe-Mine EX connector series. Made upRead More
Which is the better option – copper of fiber – in commercial aircraft? Earle Olson of TE Connectivity discusses the benefits of fiber in today’s increasingly sophisticated commercial airplanes. Commercial aircraft run on information. As aircraft designers embrace the concept of MEA (more electric aircraft) to replace mechanical control systems, embedded computers are evolving to handle increasedRead More
Choosing the right material combinations for a specific application can mean the difference between success and failure. Richard Orstad of Fralock presents a primer on how to specify electrical insulating material. There are hundreds of decisions required when designing mission-critical electromechanical components. In each of these decisions, choosing the right material combinations for a specificRead More
Products made from plastic are thought of as cheap alternatives, but when it comes to connectors, they are sometimes the smarter option. Trevor Lee of LEMO answers the question: When is a plastic connector the right connector? Oftentimes, products made from plastic are thought of as cheap alternatives to metal products. This sentiment canRead More
The connector industry is one of the most profitable subsections of the electronic components industry. Bishop & Associates’ Dave Pheteplace looks at 10 years of connector industry income statements. The connector industry grew to almost $53 billion in 2014. It is one of the most profitable subsections of the electronic component industries. Let’s take a lookRead More
Everywhere you turn, you can find LEDs in almost any lighting form factor, and connections are more challenging than a screw-in light bulb. Andrew Bogaczyk of Phoenix Contact explains how to connect LEDs and why the connection counts. LEDs continue to dominate the lighting marketplace; everywhere you turn, you can now find LEDs in almost any formRead More
According to Bishop & Associates’ research, the fourth largest connector market will exhibit strong growth over the next five years. The industrial market is the fourth largest connector market by share of the total worldwide connector market following automotive, computer/peripheral, and telecom/datacom. This share has been relatively stable over the last five years at approximatelyRead More
