Connector Insights from iCONN

To remain competitive, particularly during a global pandemic, manufacturers must find ways to do more with less. Fulfill more orders in less time. Build more products with fewer resources. Drive more business with less environmental impact. They achieve the impossible by replacing outdated processes with newer technologies — for example, low-pressure injection molding instead of potting.

Potting involves pouring liquid resin over electrical parts to fill the assembly and form a protective, insulating encasement. While the process can produce effective results, potting has numerous disadvantages, including a complex, multi-step process, long curing periods, and the potential for shrinking. Furthermore, because potting compounds cure exothermically, cure reactions can generate enough heat to damage delicate electronic parts, such as PCBs and sensors. Ultimately, the risks and disadvantages equate to higher production costs, longer cycle times, and lower levels of quality and consistency.

This is the final post in our six-part series as we take an in-depth look at how NiobiCONN™ performs in various applications and can provide solutions no other connector can.

Put simply, a niobium wet-mate connector is the safest and most reliable way to make electrical connections underwater. Of course, an invention this extraordinary deserves a more detailed explanation.

This is the fifth in a six-part series as we take an in-depth look at how NiobiCONN™ performs in various applications and can provide solutions no other connector can.

Farming has long been looked at as heavily-reliant on manual labor. However, like everything else in the 21st century, technology is dramatically changing the way farms operate. Climate change, population growth, and food safety are among the many challenges catalyzing digital transformation in farming, making Agriculture 4.0 anything but a manual landscape. With the use of robotics, drones, sensor technology, autonomous vehicles, and automated systems, farmers can optimize energy and resources, including equipment, laborers, and space, and maximize production with less waste, impact, and effort. However, change is synonymous with new challenges, including a new demand for more sophisticated and rugged electrical assemblies and connector technology, such as NiobiCONN for indoor/outdoor farming.

This is the fourth in a six-part series as we take an in-depth look at how NiobiCONN™ performs in various applications and can provide solutions no other connector can.

Developers and technicians aren’t always keen on buying into the latest “innovation.” If their go-to underwater connector solutions work, why change them? This question is best answered with another question: Why struggle to keep water out when you can let it in?

NiobiCONN™ wet-mate connectors are the superior product for numerous reasons. Here are the top 10.

Electrical connectors come in infinite shapes and sizes with customizable features to meet the exact specifications of an application. However, only wet-mate connectors can solve the ultimate electrical conundrum—the delivery of power, signal and/or data underwater. More recently, iCONN Systems developed a patented, niobium-based product line called, NiobiCONN™ that outperforms every other type of wet-mate connector in the market today. However, to fully appreciate just how revolutionary the NiobiCONN wet-mate connector is, it’s helpful to understand how far wet-mate connector designs have come.

This is the third in a six-part series as we take an in-depth look at how NiobiCONN™ performs in various applications and can provide solutions no other connector can.

From cellular networks and SCADA systems to lighting and surveillance equipment, an outdoor infrastructure is only as reliable as its power, data and signal cabling. As such, these infrastructures largely depend on rugged cables and connectors. Rugged connectors have long been used in outdoor environments to combat extreme elements. However, none compare to the latest connector technology that utilizes niobium contacts to offer unprecedented reliability. Before looking at this revolutionary technology, let’s consider the most concerning issues related to outdoor electrical systems and equipment.

The first underwater electrical connector — a transatlantic communication cable — made a splash in 1858. In the early years, most underwater connectors were homemade using regular electrical components wrapped in rubber. Of course, they didn’t last long in subsea conditions (some less than one month). Saltwater, in particular, is extremely damaging to electrical assemblies due to its corrosive properties. If connector contacts or parts of the metal connector body are exposed to water, they will eventually corrode, causing electrical failure. Over the last 150 years, engineers have gone through many iterations to develop a better solution for underwater applications. Enter the “wet-mate” connector category.

This is the second in a six-part series as we take an in-depth look at how NiobiCONN^TM performs in various applications and can provide solutions no other connector can.

Advances in wet-mate connector technology, specifically connectors that utilize niobium, have extended the life span and capabilities of underwater equipment while making servicing this equipment in wet environments safer and more convenient for technicians.