US Army leaders and their industrial partners are looking at new ways to equip dismounted soldiers with lighter weight, wireless, more capable, and more integrated electronic systems. The goal of a major revamp of the Adaptive Squad Architecture (ASA) is to harmonize both the individual dismounted soldier and the squad as an integrated combat platform,Read More

Choosing the right connectors for soldier-worn electronics can help improve soldier effectiveness and safety in the field. The average soldier in the field today carries between 87 and 121 pounds (39 to 59 kilograms) of gear and equipment, including an increasing amount of soldier-worn electronics. Improving battlefield effectiveness starts with ensuring every ounce of thatRead More

Designing and specifying cable assemblies for use in harsh environments presents a number of challenges. Industrial equipment can be subjected to harsh conditions, such as high temperatures, water, high humidity, particulate ingress, electromagnetic interference (EMI), vibration, and impact from close proximity to moving factory components. Over time, exposure to these conditions begins to impede assemblyRead More

Fire poses real risks to sensitive electronics in data centers, building structures, vehicles, and other high-density electronics applications, especially as our reliance on connectivity continues to grow. New materials designed to protect wire and cables from fire improve overall system safety and safeguard critical connectivity functions. Heat presents challenges for electronics. Components and assembled electronicRead More

As medical equipment continues to scale down in size and up in connectivity and capabilities, new materials, device designs, and industry standards combine to create innovative medical connectivity components that satisfy rigorous form, fit, safety, and performance requirements. By John Koon and Connector Supplier medical connectivity components As medical equipment continues to scale down inRead More

Chip-on-tip endoscopy technology relies on microminiature sensors, illumination, and lenses. Market pressures are driving these critical medical devices to shrink in diameter and cost while maintaining, if not adding, functionality. Meeting these demands requires ingenuitive engineering and manufacturing techniques. Chip-on-tip technology is dramatically improving medical care by enabling minimally invasive imaging. The term chip-on-tip typicallyRead More

These circular connectors were originally designed to meet requirements for cable-to-panel applications in the military and aerospace market. Now they are used across a wide range of industries that benefit from their high-performance qualities. By Air Electro, Inc. The engineers and procurement professionals in both the civil and military aerospace industries work with QPL-approved (QualifiedRead More

A tour of the West 2019 conference turns up new mil-spec connectivity products that meet size, weight, and power goals, and deliver peak performance under pressure. For military and aerospace applications, the consequences of system failures are unthinkable. To accomplish mission-critical tasks, these systems depend on the high-reliability performance of rugged mil-spec connectors and cables.Read More

Connector Supplier’s new 2019 Industrial and IIoT eBook collects expert insights and advice from leading connectivity companies in the industrial market sector to help readers leverage the latest technologies and capitalize on the many benefits they offer. Change is coming to the factory floor via a slew of new, networked technologies that will enable manufacturingRead More

Industry-standard connectors don’t always get the job done. A very public failure of a proven connector spurred a team of designers to engineer a flexible and dependable new solution using pogo pins. Here’s how they did it. By Nobukazu Kato, ACES Electronics, and Sam Martin, ACES North America When a major OEM brand of mobileRead More

Contract manufacturers’ quotes and quality audit results don’t tell the whole story. Here’s what you need to evaluate to make a good decision. Hiring a contract manufacturer is similar to hiring a new employee: In both instances, candidates are evaluated based on skills and experience. However, evaluating a contract manufacturer made up of hundreds ofRead More

Rail industry electronics must perform under extremely harsh conditions. A rigorous set of tests and standards helps protect connectors and cables and the power and data they deliver to modern rail transport applications ranging from engines and alternators to passenger Wi-Fi. In rail industry electronics, the loss of power or data can have serious safetyRead More