Phoenix Contact, Middletown, Pa., now offers UL listed fiber-optic patch cables. The patch cables (including both cable and connector) are said to be the first of their type to meet ANSI/UL Standard 746C, which describes special requirements for plastic materials used in electrical or electronic applications. These patch cables range from transmission categories OM1 through […]
HARTING downsizes electrical connections and optical transmission
Electric motors are indispensable to industrial drive technology and today’s automated production processes. At constant speeds, their control is quite simple. However, it is often necessary to regulate the motor speed, which adds a layer of complexity. Speed regulation in the larger power classes is handled with IGBT semiconductors. These devices can switch large loads […]
“Twisted” light to make fiber-optic cables obsolete?
Researchers have taken an important step towards using “twisted” light as a form of wireless, high-capacity data transmission which could one day make fiber-optic cables obsolete. In a recent paper in the journal Science Advances, a team of physicists based in the U.K., Germany, New Zealand and Canada describe how new research into what’s called […]
ERNI connectors for industrial drives and controllers
Industrial automation requires constant, reliable connectivity for high-vibration environments. Miniaturization is also a challenge for interconnect designs, but it does not imply foregoing electromechanical reliability and mating integrity to achieve density and space savings, according to officials at ERNI Electronics, Richmond, Va. Connectors with a contact pitch of 1.27 mm (0.050 in.) or less are […]
Mission-critical flat cables video
Cicoil, a manufacturer of high performance flat cables based in Valencia, Cal., has announced a new video: “Mission Critical Flat Cables.” It details why and how to source cables that demand unparalleled performance in critical applications and cable failure is not an option. Manufactured with high-strength, oxygen-free copper wire, Cicoil’s design is naturally more flexible […]
Low profile, removable carriers for male PCB pins and terminals
Mill-Max, the Oyster Bay, N.Y., manufacturer of precision machined interconnects, presents its first male pin carrier using thin Kapton film to create ultra-low-profile interconnects. The development greatly reduces overall connector height and size, reportedly making it ideal for locations where traditional insulator housings can’t be accommodated. This initial offering, according to the company, is an […]
igus develops honeycomb strain relief
At the 2017 Motek tradeshow, igus presented a new and unique strain relief for its e-chain cable carriers: the honeycomb strain relief CFU. The strain-relief system replaces commonly used cable tie-wraps and other strain-relief designs. The older version of the strain relief required users to arrange each cable separately in the energy chain. In the […]
Ready-to-install cable assemblies for VR applications
TE Connectivity (TE), the Harrisburg, Pa.-based manufacturer of connectivity products, systems and sensors, today announced a line of virtual reality (VR) cable assemblies. According to company officials, the assemblies speed time to market and offer superior performance compared to other solutions in the market. These cable assemblies let VR vendors, service providers and other clients […]
HELUKABEL breaks ground on new U.S. headquarters
HELUKABEL, a major global manufacturer and supplier of cable, wires and accessories, held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday, November 9 for its new U.S. headquarters. The eight-acre property is located in the Chicago suburb of West Dundee. The initial buildout will be for a 75,000-square-foot facility, with 7,000 square feet allotted for office space and the remaining […]
High-speed connectivity at Supercomputing 2017
Lisle, Ill.-based Molex will present optical connectivity, structured cabling, and I/O and backplane systems for high-speed, high-density applications at the 29th Annual Supercomputing 2017 international conference and exhibition, being held this week in Denver. The company will feature high-density blind-mating optical backplane connectors for card, sled and drawer applications, and multi-fiber MT and VersaBeam expanded […]
Molex announces MUO 2.5 termination connection
Molex has introduced the MUO 2.5 Termination Connector, designed to replace closed-end (CE) terminals. According to officials at the Lisle, Ill., company, it will not only reduce cable assembly time for OEMs, but also improve reliability and processing time. “Traditional CE terminals can cause wire damage and cannot be disassembled after installation,” said Yujiro Enomoto, […]
LUTZE introduces unshielded Ethernet Cat6 cable
LUTZE is expanding its industrial Ethernet cable offering with an unshielded cable for light industrial duty CAT6 UTP 4X2XAWG23 with PVC jacket. According to the Charlotte, N.C. company, the cable is intended for use in low-noise industrial environments where the effort of installing a shielded cable does not offer any benefit for the application. The […]
Servo and feedback cables UL-approved to 90°C
HELUKABEL, with U.S. operations based in Elgin, Ill., just announced it is upgrading the entire TOPSERV and TOPGEBER product portfolio from 80°C to 90°C UL styles. Servo and feedback cables with higher heat resistance benefit from a longer service life, making them preferred in motor environments. Tests confirm that the conductor insulation maintained excellent thermal […]
HARTING execs tout economic momentum
At a recent event in Naperville, Ill., HARTING Americas President & CEO Jon DeSouza presented a business update focusing on the company’s success in the Americas in 2017 fiscal year, which ended in September. Key figures for the company over the past year included 20% growth in North America, 22.4% growth in the opportunity pipeline, […]
Powerful D-subs from In2Connect
D-sub connectors were arguably the first and most widely established in/out (I/O) interface connector, according to officials at In2Connect UK Ltd., based in Ropley, Hampshire. The connectors are so-called because of their trapezoidal (vaguely “D” shaped) shell which provides mechanical protection, shielding and built-in polarization when mating male to female, whether cable-end or panel mounted. […]
Industrial-grade cable for servomotors
Lapp Group USA, Florham Park, N.J., has introduced its ÖLFLEX SERVO 7TCE, a highly flexible, oil-resistant servo cable with TC-ER approval. Because it is suitable for use directly on industrial machines and in cable trays, this new cable eliminates the need for two different kinds of cable or the use of conduit in run. According […]
L-com announces new M12 connectors, coupler and receptacles
L-com Global Connectivity, a manufacturer of wired and wireless connectivity products based in North Andover, Mass., has introduced new M12 products that include connectors, receptacles and a coupler. These products are designed for industrial control and factory automation, test equipment, I/O connectivity, sensors and actuators, harsh environment applications and industrial Ethernet networks. The M12 field […]
Ardent Concepts has new dual-ended TR Multicoax connector
Ardent Concepts designs and manufactures high-performance, controlled-impedance connectors used in the development of next-generation semiconductor applications. The Hampton, New Hampshire-based company recently released a dual-ended version of its 70 GHz high density TR Multicoax connector. This new configuration of its TR Multicoax series connectors is reportedly suited for in-system test and measurement boxes like BERT […]
Molex opens Silicon Valley technology center
Molex, based in Lisle, Ill., announced the official opening of a new technology center located in Fremont, Cal. “The new technology center will enable us to better serve our growing customer base and co-developers in the region, empower closer collaboration, and provide important access to a leading center of investment and innovation,” according to Martin […]
ODU-USA launches webstore
ODU, a designer and manufacturer of high-performance connectors and cable assemblies, has launched its E-commerce webstore. ODU-USA, based in Camarillo, Cal., is now offering online its ODU Mini-Snap and ODU Medi-Snap Push-Pull circular connector portfolio with a 48-hour turnaround time. The products are suited for a wide range of applications including: medical, military and security, […]
Audi electrical connectors may melt
Volkswagen Group of America’s Audi unit has announced a recall of certain 2013-2016 Audi A4, A5 and Q5 vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the electrical connector of the auxiliary heater is susceptible to contact corrosion, which may cause the auxiliary heater to fail and/or cause the wires to overheat and melt. […]
AutomationDirect adds flexible multi-conductor shielded control cable
AutomationDirect, Cumming, Ga., now offers flexible multi-conductor control cable in shielded and unshielded versions ranging in sizes from 18 to 10 AWG and with three to 41 conductors (including green/yellow ground). Individual stranded copper conductors have black PVC/nylon insulation and are marked with identification numbers. With a rugged premium grade TPE outer jacket, cables are […]
CDM Electronics stocks Binder USA interconnects
CDM Electronics, an authorized distributor of electronic connectors and cables based in Turnersville, N.J., is now a stocking distributor of Binder USA’s circular connectors, cordsets and adapters for the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. Engineered to provide power and Ethernet connectivity to process-automation equipment while significantly reducing production downtime, according to CDM officials, the […]
Stanford researchers build earthquake observatory with optical fibers
Thousands of miles of buried optical fibers crisscross California’s San Francisco Bay Area delivering high-speed internet and HD video to homes and businesses. Biondo Biondi, a professor of geophysics at Stanford University’s School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, dreams of turning that dense network into an inexpensive “billion sensors” observatory for continuously monitoring and […]
Making connections in harsh places
By Christian Taylor Sustaining Engineering Team Leader Bulgin Cambridge, U.K. While most of us live and work in relatively protected and safe indoor environments, much of the world’s most critical electronic systems and equipment operate in harsh conditions. Whether it’s water, dust, extreme weather, explosive atmospheres or pressure, a range of harsh environments can create […]