Tough Time to be an Independent Innovator
The connector industry depends on the continuous development of innovative products, but independent inventors find it increasingly difficult to successfully bring their bright ideas to the marketplace. more

RF Responds to Many Market Needs
RF/microwave connector manufacturers have responded to market needs with several new products. Composite products have helped by bringing down costs for the OEM, both for product and shipping. more

Sun Power to the Rescue
Larger plants and new technology are making solar power a glowing reality for future energy needs. Connector manufacturers are providing new products to meet the needs of this bright industry. more

Catch Some Rays
Connecting control and monitoring systems in the modern solar network
There are many types of devices and connection points in a modern Ethernet control system. Any one of these connections can represent a point of failure on the network. The good news for engineers is the availability of a range of technology options that provide engineers and system integrators with the flexibility and technology to keep even the most demanding industrial networks stable and responsive. more

Array Connector Corporation: Quality, Speed, Competitive Pricing
Quality is Array’s highest priority. Unlike many competitors, Array manufactures in a single location, which allows every process, every detail, and every stage of manufacturing to be monitored to ensure the highest standards are upheld. more

The U.S. Census Bureau’s Role in the Electronics Industry
While the U.S. census information doesn’t provide us with up-to-the-minute industry information, it does provide us with helpful market history to assist in planning for the future. more

Survey Results
Are you receiving the service you deserve?
Do you believe the economic downturn has had an impact on the service you receive from your connector suppliers?

Here’s how the answers were broken down:

Since the economic downturn began, the percentage of engineers who believe they are receiving:

• Better service = 16 percent.

• Same service = 34 percent.

• Worse service = 50 percent.

Since the economic downturn began, the percentage of purchasers who believe they are receiving:

• Better service = 22 percent.

• Same service = 33 percent.

• Worse service = 44 percent.

Since the economic downturn began, the percentage of “other” industry professionals who believe they are receiving:

• Better service = 16 percent.

• Same service = 52 percent.

• Worse service = 31 percent.

And the winner is...
Jay Diepenbrock, senior technical staff member for IBM Integrated Supply Chain in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, U.S. Thanks and congratulations.

Question from ConnectorSupplier.com Volume 5, Issue 11: What is the difference between an InfiniBand cable and a 10-gigabit Ethernet CX4 cable?

Answer: The answer is somewhat tricky, because physically, these cables are identical. They both use 8-pair wire and SFF-8470 latching connectors. The only difference between the two cables is the specification to which they are subjected. The InfiniBand spec has a provision for equalization to be built into the cable or connectors, while the 802.3ak spec for CX4 has no such provision. Also, InfiniBand operates at a signaling bandwidth of 2.5 Gb/s per lane (10.0 Gb/s total), and CX4 operates at a signaling bandwidth of 3.125 Gb/s per lane (12.5 Gb/s total). Despite these small differences, most CX4 cables support InfiniBand signals, and most infiniBand cables support CX4 signals.

Trivia Question for ConnectorSupplier.com Volume 5, Issue 12: We have a little break until the next issue of ConnectorSupplier.com, which will be sent to you on July 21. What’s on your agenda for a fun summer? Enjoy!

● Positronic Improves Legacy Connection with PosiBand Contact more
● Samtec Introduces Mini USB IP68-Rated Sealed Circular System more
● Molex Builds on High-Performance RF Solutions with Four New Products more
● Deutsch Launches Composite RJ45 Circular Interconnects more
● Hirose Electric Develops Miniature microSD Card Connectors more
● Binder Over-molded Cable Assemblies with Snap-in Connectors more
● RIA CONNECT IP67 CAT 6A Compliant Industrial Ethernet Connections more
● Precision Hermetic Technology Connectors for Lightweight Applications more
● Schurter’s Power Entry Module for PCB Mounting more
● Harwin Cuts Assembly Time with Quarter-Turn 101Lok Datamate more