Wet mate connectors are used in applications where connections need to be made and broken underwater, such as oil and gas wells, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), marine and oceanographic exploration, aquaculture, and fish farming, underwater lighting and video monitoring systems, and offshore renewable energy. This article reviews several wet-mate options, including gold-plated and niobium-based electrical […]
faq
What types of connectors are used in downhole drilling rigs?
The environment in downhole drilling rigs is harsh. It begins with extremely high pressures and temperatures (HPHT). The connectors in these applications must survive HPHT and corrosive environments and still deliver outstanding electrical and mechanical performance. They must be compact to fit into restricted spaces, handle electrical power, and provide signal interconnects for sensors and […]
What’s a thermal connector?
A thermal connector, sometimes called a cold-end termination, is designed to connect temperature sensors to measuring instruments, like thermocouples or resistance temperature detectors (RTDs). Thermocouples and RTD connectors are used in a wide range of scientific and industrial systems in aerospace, chemical, food and beverage, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and nuclear power generation. Two standard […]
How do the OCP immersion cooling requirements effect connectors?
The Open Compute Project (OCP) is focused on developing scalable computing for cloud data centers, artificial intelligence, and other large-scale computing applications. Immersion cooling can improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of those facilities. So, the interest of the OCP in immersion cooling is not surprising. The OCP immersion cooling requirements define materials compatibility needs […]
What’s an EMC connector?
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) connectors are primarily used in military, aerospace, and industrial applications to provide enhanced protection from electromagnetic interference (EMI). Power and signal connections must have access to the system. Those access points can be weak links in EMC performance. EMC connectors and cabling systems often have features like enhanced shielding, EMI gaskets, cable […]
What are the connector challenges in hypersonic missiles?
Connectors in hypersonic missiles need to be small and lightweight and provide robust signal integrity for high-speed connectivity. The challenge is to provide the required performance and durability while enduring extremely high temperatures and high levels of shock and vibration. This article briefly examines the inside of a hypersonic missile and its operating environment. It […]
SMP3 vs. SMPS: why two standards?
The SPM3 and SMPS RF coax connectors are similar but slightly different. They are not entirely interchangeable, so we have two standards. If you research SMP3 and SMPS RF coax connectors, you might conclude that they are the same, completely interoperable, and interchangeable. They are indeed quite similar, with comparable performance specs and dimensions. Both […]
How are EV wiring harnesses different?
Wiring harnesses, sometimes called cable assemblies or cable looms, are used in every corner of the electronics industry, including consumer appliances, commercial devices, robotics and industrial systems, computers and servers, telecommunications equipment, medical systems, aerospace platforms, and of course, trucks and automobiles. However, the wiring harnesses used in electric vehicles (EVs) are among the most […]
How do modular wiring harnesses support zonal architectures?
Vehicle wiring harnesses without a zonal architecture can have over 1,000 wires connecting over a hundred ECUs. They are difficult to fabricate and install, and changes can be difficult and costly to implement. However, using modular wiring harnesses in zonal architectures can overcome those challenges. A zonal architecture places electronic control units (ECUs) in multiple […]
What’s the difference between mini delta ribbon and shrunk delta ribbon cable assemblies?
Mini delta ribbon (MDR) and shrunk delta ribbon (SDR) cable assemblies are both designed to carry video signals as specified in the Camera Link (CL) specification, and they have the same internal connections. MDR and SDR cables are incompatible with the higher speed Camera Link HS (CLHS) standard. CLHS connectors include CX4 and SFP/SFP+. A […]
