A new generation of more powerful unmanned aerial vehicles carry a payload that includes sensors, cameras, processors, and other electronics. Small, lightweight connectors help make their missions possible. Small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for military use are getting even smaller and more powerful as trends toward miniaturization in modern military equipment extends to the skies.Read More

New battlefield strategies that network dismounted soldiers for “any-sensor, any-shooter” tactics are driving technological changes in digital gear enabled in part by advanced interconnects. By Matt McAlonis, Engineering Fellow, Aerospace Defense and Marine, TE Connectivity, and Franck Kolczak, Senior Business Development Manager-Defense Market, TE Connectivity combat Today’s entertaining real-time-strategy (RTS) games and virtual-reality (VR) headsetsRead More

The demand for micro- and nano-miniature military connectors is increasing as the military adopts Nett Warrior and future soldier technologies. The military wearables market is expanding rapidly, driven by continuous innovation in small, lightweight products that can be used for navigation, communication, and computing systems, vision and surveillance, and biometric monitoring. These products have typically beenRead More

This week’s Product Roundup highlights mil-spec cable and cable assemblies from leading connectivity suppliers. Mil-Spec Cable and Cable Assemblies Mouser Electronics stocks TE Connectivity’s Raychem Cat 5e cable for high-data-rate, harsh-environment military, marine, and aerospace applications, including shipboard, satellite, C4ISR, weapons, avionics, soldier-worn, and in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems. The mil-spec cable is designed in accordanceRead More

This week’s Product Roundup highlights antennas from leading connectivity suppliers. Heilind Electronics stocks Molex’s entire antenna product portfolio, which offers a wide range of dual-band, multi-band, ultra-wide-band, GPS, and cellular antennas with combo capabilities that provide advantages ranging from reducing engineering support at component design level to satisfying size and weight constraints, meeting cost targets,Read More

Applications that reach high temperatures require rugged connectors that can withstand these harsh operating environments. A variety of spring and contact materials should be considered.  The consumer electronics market segment dominates product manufacture. Consequently, vast sums of design, packaging, and reliability criteria are focused on meeting consumer market buying patterns at the lowest possible cost.Read More

Summary coverage of upcoming industry events, as well as recent award, partnership, promotion, personnel, facility, distribution, standards, association, and certification news from across the connector industry. July 2020 Connector Industry News July 2020 Connector Industry News > Event News Phoenix Contact’s fifth annual Smart Communities conference will be presented as a three-part, online-only series ofRead More

Designing for harsh-environment connectivity elicits a number of challenges. This guide will help you ask the right questions to determine the proper rugged connectors for your demanding application. Rugged connectors are built for harsh-environment conditions. Both the internal and external components of rugged connectors are made to withstand challenging environments, including exposure to moisture orRead More

Summary coverage of new-to-market connectivity products, including interconnects, wire and cable, cable assemblies, materials, accessories, tools, development kits, and connector-adjacent technologies, such as sensors and antennas. July 2020 New Connectivity Products July 2020 New Connectivity Products > Interconnects, etc.  TE Connectivity’s new EB16 expanded-beam optical pin and socket termini are available in single-mode and multimodeRead More

This week’s Product Roundup highlights cables and cable assemblies for transportation applications from leading suppliers. Cables and Cable Assemblies for Transportation Applications Power & Signal Group supplies COFICAB cables for automotive and transportation applications including personal vehicles, light-duty and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, and agricultural and construction equipment. The range includes lightweight, small-diameter cables like theRead More

Medical device manufacturers depend on innovative connectivity products to keep ahead of changes to the regulatory environment, as well as ongoing demand for low-cost, disposable solutions, reusable medical devices, and high-resolution imaging products.  While the quality and reliability of electronic equipment is vital for every industry, it is most critical in the medical industry, whereRead More

Rugged fiber optic connectors are available in a range of sizes, form factors, densities, termini, cabling options, and more. Evaluate your project goals and operating environment to narrow down the field. 1. Understand Your Target and the Technology Tradeoffs Needed to Hit It  As with any project involving electronics, the kinds of components selected dependRead More