“Plug-and-play” products have risen in popularity due to their ease of use and reliable, foolproof operation. The practical extension of this concept, when applied to the whole industrial automation process, has given way to a new term: “plug-and-produce.”   No matter the line of business, the pursuit of profitability and the desire to produce affordableRead More

The marriage of high-reliability connectors and sensors brings a new facet of connectivity to the interconnect industry. Connector Manufacturers Connect to Sensors The physical and digital worlds are merging and sensors of all types are on the front line of that evolution. The emerging Internet of Things is essentially a network of connected sensors thatRead More

A Comcast survey shows that homeowners want a smart home, but they want services, not a collection of connected devices. What do design engineers need to know about SHaaS when specifying interconnects for these systems?   In April 2016, Comcast released a report entitled, The Safe & Smart Home: Security in the Smart Home Era,Read More

Due to the especially personal nature of homes, smart home electronics must be user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and as subtle as possible. The new M.2 connector is designed for use with a wider range of module widths and lengths, and especially smaller computer expansion cards that operate at faster transfer speeds.   Intelligent devices are explodingRead More

With technology costs decreasing, growing consumer interest in connected home applications, and greater reliance on the efficiency of the Cloud, solutions for home and commercial building automation become more sophisticated and accessible. Intelligent Buildings and Smart Homes The global home automation market now encompasses all controllable elements in the modern home. Connected lighting, appliances, entertainment, andRead More

Cisco’s Digital Ceiling, which aims to bring together the many networks within a building, wouldn’t work without connector and cable provider partners. The Digital Ceiling, launched earlier this year by Cisco, marries the many networks within a building, including lighting, heating, cooling, and video, to one network platform. Because both connection and cabling solutions play suchRead More

As the need for smaller cable assemblies continues, speed, precision, and quality control will be hot topics among manufacturers dealing with ultraminiature RF cable assemblies.     The key trend in mobile electronics today is to make products that are smaller, thinner, and lighter, yet mobile electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, and portableRead More

As a member of Cisco’s Digital Ceiling partner community and the EnOcean Alliance, Molex is involved in helping customers embrace digital transformation of their buildings and facilitating the Internet of Things. Molex LLC confirmed its participation in the Cisco Digital Ceiling partner community, which debuted at Cisco Live! Berlin. Developer of the Transcend Network Connected LED LightingRead More

Keeping with the fair’s theme of “Integrated Industry – Discover Solutions,” Hannover Messe 2016 visitors will discover promising ideas to make their factories and energy systems smart by means of digital technology.      Only in Hannover can you find five leading international trade fairs taking place at the same time, under one roof. AllRead 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

Are craft beer and automation compatible? While the beverage industry long ago automated manufacturing and packaging operations, today’s craft breweries pride themselves on the personal touch. Is there a place for factory automation in small-batch brewing?   Over the past fifteen years or so, the American beer market has seen a rapid expansion of smallRead More

We’re introducing a new feature in this issue. “Connectors at Work” highlights a specific application and explains which connectors are most beneficial for system performance. First up, Bob Stanton of Omnetics looks at industrial robots.   Industrial robotics are helping to revive automated manufacturing significantly. The development of new end-of-arm (EOA) instruments enables systems that can handleRead More