Woven electronics and electronic textiles (e-textiles) are emerging areas of technology. E-textiles are being developed that can monitor physiological conditions, deliver medical treatments, or be used as human machine interfaces (HMIs). Maintaining reliable connections between electronic devices embedded into clothing or other soft materials is challenging. There are issues related to washability and durability, in […]
FAQ
What’s different about space-rated connectors?
Space-grade connectors are generally spin-offs of military-grade designs. Compared with common commercial connectors, there’s a much smaller variety of space-grade connectors. However, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and COTS+ connectors are increasingly used in cost-sensitive missions such as CubeSats. This FAQ begins with a look at the unique operating conditions in space and how those conditions impact […]
Why connector return loss causes signal problems
Return loss can affect insertion loss, the amount of energy that reaches a receiver.
D-sub connectors: Everyone speaks of them incorrectly
You probably don’t know it, but you’ve been referring to most D-sub connectors incorrectly for your entire career.
What is the common impedance of a twisted pair?
Understanding impedance in twisted-pair cables help you avoid signal problems.
The connector is often the EMI problem
It only takes 3µA of current to fail an EMC test, and a connector can produce that much.
Wire and fiber optic geometries offer high-speed cable transmission options
The latest high-speed transmission cables are benefitting from the use of optic-fiber and copper wire options, which are offering unique form factors and customizable solutions. Typically, data-transmission copper wire and optical-fiber conductors are round or cylindrical. The addition of silver plating on the copper conductor facilitates the high-frequency electrical transmission path. Fiber conductors are foundry […]
Four types of connectors for robots and drones
Many power and signal connectors are used in robot and drone sub-systems, such as sensors, motion, high-speed wired and wireless communications, and more. As industry 4.0 continues to unfold, more robots and more types of robots are being found in factories, warehouses, and other facilities to increase quality and efficiencies and reduce costs. Robots and […]
What are 1-phase and 3-phase AC power connectors & standards?
Power connectors are primarily designed to ensure a safe and reliable connection of devices to AC mains power, although they are generally specified for AC and DC voltages. AC receptacles and plugs come in various configurations with different blade widths, shapes, positions, and dimensions, designed to make them safe to use and non-interchangeable with different […]
Six key considerations when selecting and integrating GHz connectors into 5G applications
Connectors are essential components in radio frequency (RF) systems, especially in high-frequency applications like Gigahertz (GHz) 5G devices. Designers have a broad range of connectors to choose from, but there are a few key parameters to consider when narrowing down the choices. Six keys to selecting and integrating GHz connectors include physical size, frequency range […]
