Upcoming industry events, as well as recent award, partnership, promotion, personnel, facility, distribution, standards, association, and certification news from across the connector industry. April 2026 Connector Industry News April 2026 Connector Industry News > Award News Harwin announced its Distributor of the Year Awards, with DigiKey declared the Global Winner 2026. Harwin highlighted DigiKey’s exceptional performanceRead More
From high-speed 5G networks and satellites to connected devices and automotive radar systems, radio frequency systems underpin the essential communication networks shaping our world. Article Contributed by: Shawn Luke, technical marketing engineer for DigiKey RF design demands a blend of theoretical knowledge, practical expertise, and creative problem-solving. Unlike digital systems, where signals are binary andRead More
New-to-market connectivity products, including interconnects, wire, cable, and cable assemblies, sensors, antennas, materials, accessories, tools, and development kits. March 2026 New Connectivity Products March 2026 New Connectivity Products > Interconnects, etc. binder’s portfolio of customized connectivity solutions expands with the launch of its new M8 flange connectors featuring a solder connection. The rugged, space-saving connectors offer maximum flexibility during cable assembly, making them ideal forRead More
Meet the Connector: D-Sub Hardware Versatile D-Sub (subminiature) connectors are widely used in military, industrial, and other applications in harsh and rugged environments. For many of these applications, reliability and security are paramount, and they require permanent, secure, shielded connections. Securing and protecting D-Sub and Micro-D connectors requires additional hardware. Many accessories are available forRead More
Meet the Connector: 3.5 mm Plug-type Connectors 3.5 mm plugs and jacks are widely supported across older and some newer audio/video equipment and consumer electronics. They are also used in some medical peripherals, such as headphones for sonography or audiology equipment. The plugs have three primary configurations that are identified by black bands, called insulationRead More
Upcoming industry events, as well as recent award, partnership, promotion, personnel, facility, distribution, standards, association, and certification news from across the connector industry. February 2026 Connector Industry News February 2026 Connector Industry News > Award News DigiKey has been ranked #171 on the 2025 list of America’s Top Private Companies by Forbes. This is the fourth consecutiveRead More
Farm country is rapidly becoming the land of automation, with sensor-led crop monitoring systems, drones that strategically apply chemicals, and tractors that navigate fields using lidar guidance. Now robotics built with harsh environment connectivity are replacing human labor in the fields as precision agricultural robots harvest crops. Agricultural robots are beginning to take on theRead More
Meet the Connector: Spade Connector A spade connector, also called an insulated spade terminal, is used to quickly and easily connect or disconnect a wire to a screw, lug, or battery. These simple devices provide tensile strength, thermal conductivity, and resistance to shock and corrosion. They are available with insulated housings, often color-coded, or asRead More
Humanoid robots running marathons and performing domestic chores are making an entertaining splash on the internet, but robots that work safely and efficiently alongside people are rapidly advancing from sci-fi novelty to everyday reality. Demand is growing for machines that operate in human-centric environments and perform similar tasks as humans (e.g., open doors, navigate stairs,Read More
Meet the Connector: IEEE 1394 Connectors IEEE 1394 is a high-speed serial bus that supports both asynchronous and isochronous communication between a computer and a peripheral. It is also known as FireWire, a now-retired Apple interface. It has largely been replaced by USB connectors but is still used with older equipment. This low-cost connector isRead More
Meet the Connector: Hard Metric Connectors Hard metric connectors are a highly standardized, high-density solution for high-speed data and power transmission. The term “hard metric” refers to the exclusive use of standard metric measurements, as opposed to “soft metric” components that use metric dimensions converted from inch measurements. The highly standardized hard metric connectors areRead More
Upcoming industry events, as well as recent award, partnership, promotion, personnel, facility, distribution, standards, association, and certification news from across the connector industry. December 2025 Connector Industry News December 2025 Connector Industry News > Award News Weidmuller USA announced that the global Weidmüller Group has earned the prestigious EcoVadis Gold Medal for outstanding commitment toRead More
