Trucking is getting greener as sensor-based technologies make diesel engines more efficient and lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells offer an alternative to petroleum. Trucking is vital to the way we live. Long-haul trucks carry what’s needed to where it’s needed quickly and affordably, and short-haul trucks trek the final miles between warehouses and stores.Read More

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

This week’s Product Roundup highlights modular rectangular connectors from leading suppliers for applications in the industrial, military and aerospace, datacom/telecom, medical, and transportation markets. Modular Rectangular Connector Products Phoenix Contact’s HEAVYCON Complete modular rectangular connectors support flexible combinations of various housings, frames, modules, contact inserts, contacts, and terminal adapters for broad application suitability and employRead More

Sales of electric vehicles are growing, but still account for only 2.1% of new car sales worldwide. What does the industry need to address to reach a tipping point for mass adoption? Electric vehicles (EVs) are a popular theoretical choice but few countries are seeing the driving public’s enthusiasm converting into sales. The International EnergyRead 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

This week’s Product Roundup features wire-to-wire connector products from industry-leading suppliers for applications including industrial and transportation equipment. Wire-to-Wire Connector Products  JAE’s MX19 Series compact, waterproof, cable-to-cable relay connectors are designed to ruggedly endure harsh-environment conditions in space-constrained automotive applications including side-view mirrors. The series features 040 contacts, a compact, dual-plate spring terminal mechanism withRead More

Interconnects directly contribute to the size, weight, reliability, ruggedness, and overall performance of modern military equipment, which is increasingly interconnected via the Internet of Battlefield Things or IoBT. As Admiral John Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations, put it during the Navy’s Future Force Expo in Washington, DC, in 2017, “I’d want to network everything toRead 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. Supplier names are generally linked to product announcements and product names are generally linked to product pages, catalogs, or datasheets. New Connectivity Products: September 2019 New Connectivity Products: SeptemberRead More

5G and the Industrial Internet of Things are pushing advanced electronics into rough new territory. Rugged connectors can provide the robust connectivity needed, although sometimes a custom connector is required. Rugged connectors come into play when electronic equipment is designed for use in an extreme environment. This can be broadly defined: Extreme conditions may beRead More