Check your connectors: A group of phthalates will be restricted by European Union nations starting in July. This directive will impact a variety of plastic electronic products. The environmental compliance directive known as the EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) is expanding. In 2019, four new substances are being added to the list of materialsRead More

A new generation of fiber optic cable and high-speed connectivity products is laying the groundwork required to make 5G networks possible. Providers of fiber optic cables, high-speed connectors, and cable management systems are all gearing up to meet the challenges of developing the infrastructure required for 5G network deployment. The impending arrival of 5G networksRead More

The worldwide market for cable assemblies continues to grow as new technologies proliferate and reach emerging markets around the world. An upcoming report by Bishop & Associates takes a closer look. The worldwide market for cable assemblies is growing, expanding by 10.8% to $172 billion in 2018. This double-digit growth marks the second-highest growth yearRead More

The newly announced USB4 will handle the high speeds and data operations required by connected and automated systems. But first, USB 3.2 is about to make its appearance in the marketplace. USB 3.2 connectors will begin to appear in a variety of devices over the next few months. Announced in late 2017, the latest USBRead More

A network of authorized secondary distributors stocks rare or discontinued connectors. Every year, thousands of new connector designs enter the market. Many of these products meet the needs of new applications, but others replace a previous generation of a similar product. Typically, component manufacturers anticipate these changes and reduce production towards the end of aRead More

e-waste, air pollution, and water contamination are toxic legacies of the electronics industry. But new products and projects are aiming to change that, along with five electronics industry sustainability initiatives that guide the next generation of global electronics development. There is no denying it: The electronics industry contributes heavily to pollution. According to the WorldRead More

The Connected Factory Exchange (IPC-CFX) is a new IoT standard that guides Industry 4.0 applications. As Industry 4.0 comes into widespread use, the global trade association IPC saw a need to develop a standard to guide applications that operate within these connected and automated smart factory systems. The new Connected Factory Exchange, or IPC-CFX, isRead More

Underwater connectors in military electronics designed for submarines and other deep-sea applications must endure pressure, temperature cycling, seawater corrosion, and different types of shock. One of the harshest environments military electronics systems must withstand is the deep sea. Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) that dive deep must stand up to high pressure, while submarines must withstandRead More

Emerging traffic management equipment represents a bright new market for advanced sensors and many types of related connectors. I like to consider myself reasonably adjusted to the challenges of living in the 21st century, except one: We continue to labor under the dictates of traffic control systems technology that dates from the early part ofRead More

Ethernet is the leading network protocol in LAN applications. Today, it’s gaining ground in transportation, automotive, and industrial applications, thanks to new cabling strategies. In the early 1980s, at the start of the Ethernet era, coaxial cabling dominated and cheap yellow Ethernet cable became ubiquitous. In the 1990s, the focus shifted to cabling solutions basedRead More

Our 2019 How-to-Specify eBook contains a collection of best practices and product solutions contributed by industry-leading suppliers dedicated to designing, developing, and delivering connector and cabling technologies with the versatility, durability, innovation, and peak performance required to satisfy challenging application demands across various markets. Topics include connector characteristics, application-specific solutions ranging from consumer to medicalRead More

In a global economy, we see many of the same cars on the roads in Europe and the US. But the electronics packages inside them may differ due to differences in standards for automotive connectors and components. The global automobile market is not constrained by borders, national pride, or even tariffs. On the streets ofRead More