Use of VME connectors expands via smaller mezzanine cards, fiber optics, and coax.   Worldwide Standardization Drives Acceptance Changing requirements for faster processing and reduced size/weight, scalability, and power (SWaP) are resulting in newer form factors that include increased use of mezzanine connectors (cards), BGAs, and both larger and higher-density backplane/daughtercard connectors, plus fiber optics andRead More

Rugged connectors are required for applications in a wide variety of settings, from sterile medical facilities to downhole oil and gas rigs. Key considerations for specification include the environment, the function, and the performance requirements.   Rugged Connector Checklist Rugged connectors must be able to function in environments and under circumstances that would challenge typicalRead More

Coaxial/RF cable assemblies comprised $13.5 billion of the $142 billion worldwide market for cable assemblies in 2015. How coax cable and connectors are terminated affects quality and performance, so learn how to choose the right coaxial cable termination options for your application. Whether it’s ultralight, radiation-resistant sensor cable assemblies in the Mars Rover; a cabledRead More

As armed robots become reality, a tug-of-war is building over humans’ place in the decision-making loop during battle.   On July 7, a sniper opened fire on a crowded street protest in downtown Dallas, Tex., killing five police officers and injuring others. A long standoff followed inside a parking garage, where the shooter was said toRead More

With potentially thousands of control and sensor data channels entering and exiting in engine test-stand vacuum chamber applications, it is essential for hermetically sealed conductor feedthroughs to solve cross-talk and leakage challenges as well as provide flexibility to meet future custom data needs. NASA worked with Douglas Electrical Components to provide such solutions for itsRead More

Connector-pin design has been caught up in a race to meet the needs of an ever-broadening range of applications, but military and aerospace applications have very serious environmental requirements that must be met first.     We often look at a device and wonder, “Would the best connector for my design use a flat pinRead More

 Presented by TE Connectivity Aircraft need higher bandwidth systems that are smaller and lighter, which brings us to fiber optic systems. TE Connectivity packed more signals into a smaller space while still meeting aerospace requirements with its PRO BEAM EB connectors.   In aerospace applications, space is always at a premium, and reducing weight isRead More

Additional mil-spec connector series are being released from “Stop Shipment” as approved.   Amphenol Aerospace has been released from the “Stop Shipment” restriction imposed on all military specification MIL-DTL-38999 Series I, II, III connectors. Additional mil-spec connector series are being released from “Stop Shipment” as approved. Changes in industry standards emphasizing zero-defect component manufacturing andRead More

While the night skies and color photos from NASA may present great beauty, the near-earth space environment where satellites orbit presents difficulties for man and equipment. Unique product designs, processing, and testing are required.   “Space” represents a thriving industry with almost unlimited possibilities. The non-profit Space Foundation estimates that the space economy was $330Read More

No longer the stuff of superhero comics, the military’s latest soldier defense project is built in part on decades of research and innovation from the connector and cable industry.   For the entire history of warfare, technology has seesawed between the dominance of weapon technology and the dominance of armor technology, and modern war isRead More

New standards and new design concepts are helping embedded systems designers keep pace with increasing demands for mobile capabilities.   Embedded computing systems have always offered a variety of readily available mix-and-match component solutions built around industry standards. But as increasing demands are spurred by more sophisticated mobile applications in imaging, communications, sonar, radar, andRead More

Which country leads the world in mil/aero expenditures? Which connector manufacturer is the military market’s leading supplier? Which OEM leads the market in sales? Bishop & Associates crunched the numbers to find out.   In 2015, the top 10 countries for military expenditures represented 74% of the total worldwide outlay according to SIPRI (Stockholm InternationalRead More