An Ingress Protection (IP) rating is a measure of the degree of protection provided by an electrical connector against the ingress of solid particles and water. The ingress of solid particles and water can cause damage to equipment, potentially leading to malfunction or failure. By selecting electrical equipment with the appropriate IP rating or ‘code,’  you can ensure the equipment is able to withstand the conditions in which it will be used, minimizing the risk of damage or failure.

You’ve decided you need a custom cable assembly for your project, but your work is just beginning. The design elements of a quality custom cable assembly are closely related and largely dependent on each other. That means you often can’t make an educated decision about one element without first identifying another.

A thoughtful and thorough design process is crucial in preventing cable failure. With virtually limitless ways to configure an electrical connector, determining the right shape, size, performance enhancements and mechanical features can be a daunting and cumbersome process. Fortunately, we have a quick and easy step-by-step process to help point product teams in the right direction, including a free connector configuration tool that allows you to input design specifications and download or print a CAD file of your optimal connector design.

Few details will influence a product's success as significantly as its electrical design. Customers often need turnkey solutions that are both rugged and field-installable. While more affordable off-the-shelf connectors can meet a variety of application specifications, it's not uncommon for this combination of attributes to require customization, which may increase the upfront cost of ownership.

Custom circular connectors may cost more upfront but can significantly enhance lifespan, reliability and usability, making them more cost effective. This article will help you understand your many options for power and data connectors and how specific design details can impact lead time, cost of ownership and ROI.

The global pandemic accelerated both the development and adoption of biotechnology — a field of research as impactful as it is controversial. Biotechnology trends are transforming modern medicine, enabling doctors to diagnose, treat and care for patients with greater speed, safety and effectiveness.

Here are the top trends with the greatest potential to reshape the patient experience and the future of healthcare.

Disruption is a powerful driver of innovation. Few enterprises can attest to this fact as vehemently as those in manufacturing. Between the massive skills and labor shortage, consumer demand for greater customization, shifts toward high-mix/low-volume production, and rampant issues with the supply chain – most manufacturers have quickly adopted automation technologies to redesign job tasks and processes.

Here’s how robotics, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and other automated technologies will shape the future of manufacturing for the better.

Between the sheer inaccessibility of the deep sea and its many dangers for a human operator, underwater environments represent the perfect testing ground for autonomous vehicle technology. One of the greatest challenges engineers have faced in this endeavor involves the volatile relationship between electrical components and water. Sophisticated machines require a sophisticated power supply that neither limits exploration nor puts technicians and equipment at  risk. To fully understand this sentiment, it’s important to recognize the amazing innovations in unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) and the industrial applications driving the need for more reliable electrical connectivity.

From logistical bottlenecks to supply chain disruption, the global pandemic acted as an accelerant for digitization and virtualization in food and chemical processing. Today, manufacturing leaders have their sights set on optimizing processes, improving sustainability across the supply chain, and revolutionizing the industry — all through new and emerging technologies. To perpetuate transformative changes and improve operational resiliency, processing plants are phasing out legacy systems for more advanced and scalable infrastructures. A fundamental part of their proactive approach involves greater investment in new operational technology (OT), such as specially-designed cable assemblies and connectors for food and chemical processing plants. Here are three forces driving major changes in processing plants.

Wet-mate connectors are the linchpin of a successful underwater application. Unless you identify the right subsea connectors for your project, it could be dead in the water — or, at the very least, require frequent, expensive repairs.

To prevent that, let’s review the typical options available for underwater connectors, the benefits and shortcomings of each, and what considerations should be key to your decision-making process.

When it comes to product development, the devil is in the details. From cost and volume to production time and distribution, the numerous variables involved in every decision mean even the smallest issue with design can quickly push a project out of scope. That’s why designing for manufacturability is mission-critical for product teams.