Connector Insights from iCONN

Since the dawn of time, humans have transformed the resources around us into powerful new tools that reshape the world. Industry 4.0 is the fourth industrial revolution that represents how the Internet of Things (IoT) will change everything about the way we manufacture, work, communicate and interact with machines and the world around us. But before going into granular detail about what Industry 4.0 means for the future, let’s revisit the three revolutions that came before. Without them, Industry 4.0 wouldn’t exist.

Manufacturers use a few different techniques to overmold, seal and protect cables and electrical connectors from moisture, dust, debris, vibration and strain. The two most popular overmolding techniques are “low-pressure” and “high-pressure.” Each technique has its pros and cons, but ultimately, the method a manufacturer chooses to use for overmolding depends on the type of electrical assembly and application.

A wiring harness is a tightly configured bundle made up of individual wires — each with its own protective outer-jacket. This bundle can be dropped into an electrical system to significantly simplify and expedite the installation process instead of placing each wire one at a time. Due to their compact formation, wiring harnesses reduce movement and abrasion, prevent short-outs, and can extend the lifespan of an electrical assembly compared to an assembly of individual wires. However, despite numerous benefits, wiring harness problems can arise.

Wire harness, cable assembly, cable harness, wiring assembly...these words get used interchangeably, but are they the same thing? The technical answer is no. Wires and cables perform a similar function in different ways. Likewise, so do assemblies and harnesses. For this reason, terms like wire harness, cable harness, and cable assembly must not be used to describe the same solution. Here’s what product teams and engineers should know about the key differences.

There’s more than one way to effectively complete an electrical circuit. Many major appliances are designed for hardwiring, which permanently affixes cables from point-to-point into a system. Others prefer the plug-and-play flexibility of a mating cable. Both approaches have their advantages, but when it comes to practicality and economics, a mating cable often makes the most sense.  Here’s our advice on when to use a mating cable over other installation methods.

The underwater connector market is projected to hit $2 billion by 2026. Market growth is primarily attributed to increasing fossil fuel demands, deep-sea explorations, and higher budgeting for naval fleet expansion, among other factors. For underwater connector manufacturers, rapid market expansion means increasingly-fierce competition, especially for long-term contracts—the proverbial white whales of the electrical manufacturing marketplace. To win those contracts, manufacturers must continuously innovate, not only the solutions they create, but also the processes they employ to take solutions to market.

Electrical mating connectors consist of two pairing halves — a male end and a female end. As the joint responsible for transferring the flow of energy, achieving a secure and reliable connection between these two halves is mission-critical. However, the cross-section between any two components also represents a point of vulnerability. Here are the most common issues you’ll find with mating connectors.

Molding is a manufacturing technique used to seal connectors and protect electronics from moisture, dust, debris, vibration and strain. Like many manufacturing processes, there’s more than one way to mold a connector, but that doesn't mean all outcomes are the same.

U.S. workplaces closed out the year with a whopping $3.8 million in health violations for noncompliance with COVID-19 mandates, proving once and for all that workplace cleanliness isn’t just important, it’s vital to business continuity. If your organization is still struggling to get its cleaning protocols up to code, it’s time to rethink the plan. From plan development to implementation, this checklist will help ensure that your cleaning initiative is easy, actionable and highly adaptable.

When it comes to overmolding delicate electronic equipment, such as printed circuit boards (PCB), nothing beats the benefits of low-pressure molding. Compared to potting, low-pressure molding is faster and simpler to perform, less expensive to produce, environmentally friendly, and offers excellent resistance and protection — all thanks to a unique manufacturing process.