Many medical regulations and standards have made risk management a critical element for system and component developers. Factors like creepage and clearance are now important aspects of connector design. Every day, medical device manufacturers get better at managing risk as they respond to international regulatory schemes that impact device design all the way down toRead More

A survey of industry experts underscores the need to develop standard reliability testing protocols for connectors.   Consistently testing the reliability of electrical connectors across types and use cases is a major challenge in the connector industry. Electrical connectors come in many shapes and sizes, and differ in use. In general, the purpose of anRead More

Recent approval of the IEEE 802.3bp standard offers efficiencies for reducing the weight and cost of interconnections to support communication among an ever-growing roster of automotive subsystems. While advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and infotainment systems have been touted to automotive consumers for quite some time, automotive electronic engineers have been saddled with adapting olderRead More

Systems designers must keep up with ever-evolving next-generation device standards, as well as with standards not yet set.   Systems design engineers need to keep several considerations in mind when designing to meet codes and standards. But what about when design or product standards don’t yet exist, are in flux, or when technology convergence blursRead More

Can the same connector be used in both through-hole reflow and surface-mount device processes? Weidmuller looks at how pin length can make all the difference in meeting the requirements of IPC-A-610 E. Today’s PCB is a platform for electronic components that creates circuits varying from simple to highly sophisticated. Requirements such as the miniaturization of components,Read More

Infrastructure shapes mobility and influences rolling stock in much the same way that new and better highways impacted automobile design. In this excerpt from a Nexans white paper, the authors explain the latest trends in rail infrastructure and what customers will expect from cable suppliers in the future.     [quote]“Infrastructure shapes mobility. No majorRead More

IPC/WHMA A-620-B is an excellent tool for everyone involved in the building of wire harnesses because it greatly simplifies best practices for the harness supplier. The WHMA’s Donnie Hill updates us on the latest revisions to the standard.   IPC/WHMA – A-620-B is the current wire harness standard developed jointly by IPC and the Wire HarnessRead More

Traditionally employed in heavy industrial applications, robots are moving into other industries. In the medical field, they are used for surgery, therapy, diagnostics, and much more.   Robots for specialized medical applications such as surgery bring together robotics and biology, and we’re seeing an increase in the number of robots specifically designed and developed for thisRead More

With a record-breaking number of exhibitors, this year’s International Microwave Symposium featured state-of-the-art developments in RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave products.   The International Microwave Symposium presented by the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) is the premier International event for microwave theory and practice. In addition to the flagship IMS Conference, “Microwave Week 2015”Read More

Pure tin plating has been almost universally adopted, but the looming expiration of a critical exemption is poised to bite manufacturers of screw machined contacts. Bob Hult examines the continuing impact of RoHS. Just when you thought the connector industry had bit the bullet and removed all lead from its products, the looming expiration ofRead More

The material used in a connector design significantly impacts its overall performance. Bob Stanton of Omnetics takes a look at how insulator materials affect connectors at work.   The choice of the material of which a connector is made can greatly affect reliability and performance, and often depends on the environment and application in which the connector isRead 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