Featured Articles
  • ODVA Standards for Industrial Automation

    ODVA standards help ensure interoperability, safety, and security in facilities that that are integrating advanced information and communication technologies into industrial automation. From materials sourcing to the production of goods to final-mile logistics,  multiple levels of connectivity have become an essential part of the manufacturing world. Facilitating seamless communications between a wide range of devicesRead More

  • Tesla’s NACS Connector Poised to Standardize U.S. EV Charging Landscape

    The interface is now leading a global field of competitors, simplifying the EV charging process and bringing a future single standard into focus. U.S. automakers Ford and General Motors will adopt Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging connector as the interface of choice for their upcoming EV models. In the days following GM’s JuneRead More

Standards

5G Networks Demand More From Cables and Connectors

A new generation of fiber optic cable and high-speed connectivity products is laying the groundwork required to make 5G networks possible. Providers of fiber optic cables, high-speed connectors, and cable management systems are all gearing up to meet the challenges of developing the infrastructure required for 5G network deployment. The impending arrival of 5G networksRead More

Coming Soon: Two New USB Connectors

The newly announced USB4 will handle the high speeds and data operations required by connected and automated systems. But first, USB 3.2 is about to make its appearance in the marketplace. USB 3.2 connectors will begin to appear in a variety of devices over the next few months. Announced in late 2017, the latest USBRead More

Moving Towards a Greener Electronics Industry

e-waste, air pollution, and water contamination are toxic legacies of the electronics industry. But new products and projects are aiming to change that, along with five electronics industry sustainability initiatives that guide the next generation of global electronics development. There is no denying it: The electronics industry contributes heavily to pollution. According to the WorldRead More

Three Things to Know About the Connected Factory Exchange

The Connected Factory Exchange (IPC-CFX) is a new IoT standard that guides Industry 4.0 applications. As Industry 4.0 comes into widespread use, the global trade association IPC saw a need to develop a standard to guide applications that operate within these connected and automated smart factory systems. The new Connected Factory Exchange, or IPC-CFX, isRead More

Standards for Automotive Connectors Differ in Europe and the US

In a global economy, we see many of the same cars on the roads in Europe and the US. But the electronics packages inside them may differ due to differences in standards for automotive connectors and components. The global automobile market is not constrained by borders, national pride, or even tariffs. On the streets ofRead More

2019 Updates to Medical Standards

Changing medical standards and regulations add complexity to compliance processes required for products and component destined for the medical market. Medical Standards Regulations can make designing new products more complicated, more costly, and more time-consuming, adding steps that delay time to market. So why do standards organizations keep setting up these road blocks? Because regulationsRead More

Reduce Risk in Medical Devices

Managing creepage and clearance is one design strategy that can help reduce risk in medical devices and systems. How to Reduce Risk in Medical Devices Medical equipment used to diagnose, treat, and monitor patients, such as electrocardiographs (ECGs), thermal cauteries, and monitors, has to meet extremely high safety requirements. The international standard IEC 60601-1 guidesRead More

Assessing the Future of Military Electronics

As the Department of Defense prepares for the future of the military, the electronics industry is working to help it understand the complex needs and issues that affect R&D, manufacturing, the workforce, and the supply chain. In August 2018, President Trump signed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (NDAA 2019)Read More

Leaded Copper Alloys Get A New Lease on Life

An extension of the EU exemption known as 6(c) brought relief to the connector industry. Back in 2015, there was a great gnashing of teeth over concern that the European Union would no longer allow the use of lead in certain types of copper contacts. Contacts that are made on precision-screw machines rely on aRead More

VITA 76.0 Solves 10G Cabling Need

The VITA 76.0 connector ensures exceptional signal integrity for high-speed interconnects over maximum cable length on size-, weight-, and power (SWaP)-constrained ground, airborne, and naval platforms. By Mike Southworth, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions, and Ken Braund, Meritec In 2015, VITA adopted the VITA 76.0 standard, “High Performance Cable – Ruggedized 10 Gbaud Bulkhead Connector for CuRead More

It’s Time to Get Ready for New ADS-B Standards

US-based aircraft have a new equipment mandate to improve surveillance and communications. The deadline is fast approaching, but operators have numerous options to get compliant. New ADS-B Standards Nearly a decade ago, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) set in place a timeline to transition from radar to next-generation, surveillance-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) to manage theRead More

How Software Innovation Can Protect Demand for Fibre Channel and its Connectors

Observers have claimed Fibre Channel, which powers Storage Area Networks (SANs), has been in decline for years, replaced by newer, faster standards. But innovations in storage network software and infrastructure may help keep demand for Fibre Channel and its dedicated connectors and cables alive. By Neil Shurtz Computing applications are continuing to grow in complexity.Read More

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