Making connections at MD&M West

When I took on this beat covering interconnect technologies, one of the first things I did was to try to find trade shows where a large number of connector companies exhibit. I found that at MD&M West last week, where I was able to meet with several connector companies, many of whom I’ve dealt with before, but many more still that I have never heard of before. And not only did I have the chance to learn about new companies, seeing some of these connectors in person has really brought them to life—holding a nano connector at Ulti-Mate Connector’s booth, for example, made me appreciate just how truly small they are!

Many of the connector companies were exhibiting in the same area of the show floor, so I was able to hit up Fischer Connectors, LEMO, ODU USA, Ulti-Mate, Multi-Contact USA, Schurter Electronic Components, ECT (Everett Charles Technologies), Amphenol Sine, and more. And the lower level of the show floor was full of interconnect companies as well, from Hirose, Axon Cable & Interconnect, and TE Connectivity’s Medical division.

There is nothing better than discovering a company you have never heard of and learning about its new technologies. I’ve always loved that part of job as a writer, telling the stories of the people I meet, so I was glad to meet Matthew Rumschlag at Everett Charles Technologies, who educated me on the Orlando-based connector manufacturer, which was recently purchased by a German company. The latest line in ECT’s wheelhouse is its line of standard connectors for use in battery charging, board-to-board, docking stations, hand-held devices, medical and military applications. The SC1 connector is designed around a well-known probe series and is available in 0.100 in. pitch.

Next up was a stop at Fischer Connectors, which was highlighting a variety of new connectors, including its MiniMax series cable and connector, which feature 20 signal and four power pins in a 10x twisted pair version for telecom applications. It is designed for faultless, high-speed transmissions in smart phones, computers, surveillance cameras, night-vision systems, unmanned remote controlled vehicles, exploration robots, radios and other wireless systems.

I’m looking forward to new product releases from ODU later this year, and especially am looking forward to test results from Amphenol Sine, which was promoting its M23 Checkmate circular connectors. Unlike most connectors that require eight turns for tightening, this new connector will only require ¼ of a turn to be secured, said Wayne Spence, Business Director. Spence said that he expects this new technology to be ready for release in late spring.