Consumers treat USBs roughly — there’s no way around it in the constant cycle of plugging and unplugging, so these ubiquitous connectors are up to the challenge. But as USBs move into even more rugged environments (and into the hands of ever-younger consumers), tough new versions are ready. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is theRead More

Download Connector Supplier’s latest eBook, 2022 Rugged Interconnects for Harsh Environments, to learn more about design solutions and product innovations for harsh environment applications in many markets.   Our latest eBook, 2022 Rugged Interconnects for Harsh Environments, highlights how today’s connectivity solutions overcome the challenges of temperature, shock and vibration, radiation, corrosion, dust and water ingress, and difficult access.Read More

Meet the Connector: Overmolded Cable Assemblies Overmolded cable assemblies combine the connector and cable into one seamless piece. The process of overmolding involves using two or more materials to encapsulate and contain the wire and connector to create a single part. Overmolding guarantees mechanical integrity while protecting the components from exposure to elements and aRead More

A MIL-DTL-24308 connector, commonly known as a D-Sub (D-subminiature), is a rectangular, polarized-shell electrical connector standardized primarily under MIL-DTL-24308 for military and aerospace use and IEC 60807-3/DIN 41652 for commercial and industrial use. It features a trapezoidal metal shell and two or more parallel rows of pin-and-socket contacts. It carries signal, low-level power, or dataRead More

Meet the Connector: Terminal Blocks Terminal blocks are connectors used to secure two or more wires to each other (wire-to-wire) or to a PCB (wire-to-board). They consist of an insulated body within a modular housing. Often used in industrial applications, they are appropriate wherever electrical systems need to stay safely connected, organized, and secure. TerminalRead More

This week’s Product Roundup highlights circular Mil-spec connectors from leading suppliers. Circular MIL-Spec Connectors CDM Electronics supplies Amphenol PCD MIL-DTL-55181-spec QPL’d Tactical Communications Power Connectors, qualified to MIL-C-55181. MW Series Power Connectors have a center lock coupling screw to ensure the connector can withstand high shock and vibration, and they are waterproof and polarized. TheseRead More

Meet the Connector: ARINC 600 Rack and Panel Connectors ARINC 600 connectors are a standardized rack and panel connector used primarily for avionics applications. This modular packaging standard provides mechanical, electrical, and environmental interfaces between line-replaceable units (LRUs) and racks or cabinets. The ARINC 600 connector takes the form of a rectangular molded insulator inRead More

The space market is booming and connector suppliers are finding more and more opportunities to be a part of it. However, strict regulations and extreme environmental conditions add to the challenges suppliers face as they launch their space-grade connectors into what is quickly becoming a growth industry. Because of the high cost of deployment andRead More

Despite setbacks related to the pandemic, passenger and cargo rail expansion is continuing around the globe. We examine key trends that are advancing this critical transportation mode and influencing connectors used for rail. The transportation sector took major hits in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted public activities and logistics operations. Consumers backed away fromRead More

The small aircraft marketplace is booming and the push to develop fully electric vehicles is driving design changes that are even trickling back to traditional aircraft. Smaller, lighter, faster — a mantra throughout the electronics industry — certainly applies to the small aircraft market. Growing demand for high-performance, energy-efficient, less-polluting aircraft is propelling the increasedRead More

This week’s Product Roundup highlights high-voltage automotive connectors (800V+) from leading suppliers. High-Voltage Automotive Connectors  The LSH rack and panel connectors from Smiths Interconnect include leading-edge Hypertac hyperboloid contact technology that ensures LSH connectors are immune to shock, vibration and fretting. In addition, the polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) insulators interconnect technology features low insertion and extractionRead More

Bob Hult looks at how a commitment to backward compatibility, choice of copper and fiber optic media, and adoption of new signaling protocols have enabled Ethernet to keep pace with increasing bandwidth demands. This is the eighth installment in the Technology Trends series by Bob Hult, a collection of articles that review leading technology trends thatRead More