08 May One-stop-shop laboratory replicates deep space environment Space flight hardware is exposed to severe shock, vibration, thermal variations and electromagnetic environments that start with launch and continue throughout its operational lifetime. Environmental tests expose the hardware to these environments in a simulation laboratory to validate the design, screen for manufacturing defects and ensure the reliability and survivability of flight hardware. Read more...
01 May Raising the Bar of Burn-In Testing Sockets Burn-in testing is widely used as an aid in producing failure-free electronic components. When scientifically planned and conducted, burn-in-testing sockets offer one of the most effective methods of reliability screening at the component level. Testing during production plays a vital role in ensuring reliability and repeatability. Semiconductor manufacturing plants perform tests at each stage of production to eliminate defective parts as early as possible while precisely controlling each process parameter of the chip. Read more...
24 Apr Mission Critical: Maintain your RF cables and connectors Guidelines for maintaining cables and connectors. Read more...
03 Jan Meeting the increasing demand for rugged, high-speed connections in Space applications. Space satellites market is evolving from RF Analog-based payloads providing low speed telecommunication signaling, to a new Digital Transparent Processor architecture for high throughput satellites. This type of architecture increases the demand for rugged and higher speed connectivity. Read more...
02 Dec Autoclaving for Medical Devices Autoclaving is often used to sterilize medical devices to prevent disease transmission both in new and reusable products. Autoclaves sterilize by introducing high pressure steam into a chamber containing the objects to be sterilized. Therefore, these devices must be able to withstand autoclaving temperatures in the range of 135°C without damage, deformation, or disintegration. Read more...
07 Nov Spring Probe based Pin Grid Arrays (PGAs) for MRI Applications Spring probes offer high density and have a very high mating cycle life, often higher than traditional pin & socket contact systems, and this is needed to keep very expensive MRI systems operating to their full capacity and patient throughput to a maximum. Read more...
10 Oct The next step in optical interconnectivity for the defense industry Optical interconnectivity has a significant impact on the defense industry. Not only does it allow greater amounts of data to be passed over longer distances, but it also minimizes SWaP (size, weight, and power) relative to copper alternatives. In fact, cabling weight can be reduced more than 90% with no interference and carry high-speed data 15 to 20 times further. Read more...
29 Sep Phase stable cable assemblies: reliability where it’s needed most From military aircraft to radar applications to satellite communication links, we rely on cable assemblies to transmit signals between multiple devices, internally in a single device, or as part of testing processes. Read more...
23 Aug Small but mighty: How attenuators benefit defense and space industries Current space and defense industries are putting pressure on electronic manufacturers to deliver high performance with smaller form factor. For applications in these industries, from radios to drones and satellites, miniaturizing components such as RF chip attenuators with broad frequency ranges is becoming critical for developing technology and meeting the challenging demands of defense and space applications. Read more...
08 Aug Is it really that hard to improve chip test performance? In the digital era, semiconductor chips are present in almost every aspect of our lives. Whether it is from microwave ovens to computers, cell phones, computer central processing units, and other electronic devices there are a variety of chips installed. Read more...
20 Jul How to select the right electrical connector for specific medical devices and applications To ensure patient and provider safety, medical connectors must satisfy a variety of government and industry standards depending on the usage and specific applications. Read more...
06 Jun How connectivity can play a key role in rail braking systems Train deceleration is a key function that implies passengers’ safety, environment and property protection and nothing can be left to chance or neglected when it is the moment to select the right parts that have to compose the brake system. With this in mind, the design engineers have to pay attention to reduce the overall maintenance costs as well to provide a dependable and market aligned solution. Read more...
18 May High five for new HBB circular connectors Smiths Interconnect’s new HBB five-pole connector packs flexibility, reliability and safety as well as power into one easy-to-use connector for demanding applications. We’ve built an international reputation on our ability to anticipate customers’ future needs and innovate to meet them. In the defense sector, we’ve been exploring the potential of the energy revolution for combat vehicles, both on the ground and in the air. Read more...
26 Apr Enhanced ratings for KA connectors Our popular KA Series PCB connectors are capable of performing to significantly higher levels than the conservative ratings to date might suggest. Read more...
24 Feb Cavity filter technology can support aviation devices with radar altimeter interference The recent rollout of the 5G C-band frequencies has caused concerns for radar altimeter interference in avionic systems—including commercial transport, business, regional, and general aviation airplanes and helicopters. Read more...
10 Jan How Rail electrification can contribute to emissions reduction The great impetus given by the COP26 summit has raised the world's awareness of climate change and made it a global priority. It is today well-known that to halt the consequences of climate change we need to limit global warming to 1.5°C (34.7°F) above pre-industrial levels. As a result, all aspects of our lives are under scrutiny. Read more...
14 Dec Understanding the RF power in a coaxial cable assembly How much power can your cables handle? Read more...
22 Nov Driving the value revolution in the medical market, focusing on reduced production cost and low cost of ownership The continued need to evolve and develop smarter solutions has driven exciting new innovations that are reducing the cost-per-therapy in the medical sector without compromising life-critical performance. Read more...
15 Nov The anatomy of a microstrip isolator and circulator Understanding the basics of microwave microstrip isolator and circulator technologies Read more...
30 Sep Having the right connectivity can drive revolution in automotive testing. Efficient quality end-of-line equipment can innovate the automotive industry. Read more...
24 Jun 8 Applications where adding attenuation is a plus When should attenuation be added to a RF/microwave application? Read more...
28 Apr The increasing threat of Electromagnetic Interference Understand Electromagnetic Interference (EMI/RFI) filtering, Transient Voltage Suppression, and the basics of signal conditioning: Read more...
10 Mar Equalizing the Slope Gain in Your Next RF & Microwave Design Understanding RF wideband microwave gain slope, installation and reliability Read more...
17 Feb Adding Value to Your RF Semi-Rigid Cable Assemblies Having the proper guidelines in place for your RF semi-rigid cable assembly helps minimize cost, improve electrical performance, and increase reliability. Read more...
02 Feb The Internet of Space and radiation resistant transceivers The explosion of worldwide communications over the past 25 years has led to the pervasive use of mobile and land communications equipment with an abundance of platforms, applications, and devices all driving the growth of many of the largest businesses in the world. There is no doubt that this trend will continue through the Internet of Things (IoT), and the arrival of the 5G technology along with improvements to the underlying network infrastructure. However, the next, ‘Small Step’ for man in terms of ubiquitous communications will be the ‘Giant Leap’ into the Internet of Space. Read more...
14 Dec Accelerating Device Bring-Up and Production Ramp for WLCSP 5G Mobile IC’s As mobile phone electronics continue to shrink, WLCSP has become the de-facto packaging solution for IC’s going into today’s flagship handsets. Manufacturers need solutions to rapidly debug their new silicon, and quickly ramp it to HVM while achieving aggressive DPPB quality levels. Read more...
19 Nov 8 Advantages to Know About Spring Probe Contact Technology in the Space Industry The requirements of space flight components must be carefully taken in account when designing a spring-loaded connector. Read more...
20 Aug Why Use Temperature Variable Attenuators in Your Next RF and Microwave Circuit Design? Temperature Variable Attenuators can be used in place of a standard chip attenuator to combine level setting and temperature compensation in a single chip design. Read more...
07 Jul 5 Key Reasons to Choose a Planar Filter Over Conventional Filter Technology in Your Next RF Design Understanding RF Filter technology to get the most effective solution. Read more...
03 Jun Expanding the Frontier As Space Missions evolve, so do Smiths Interconnect’s light and compact connectivity solutions. Read more...
04 May The evolution of rail mobility and where the performance of components is critical. The request for faster, safer and more comfortable services has grown proportionally in the rail industry over the recent years and the last two decades have seen exponential growth in the use of technology towards the evolution of very sophisticated transport system where the performance of components is more and more critical. Read more...
04 May The harsh reality of electrical connectors in the autoclave environment. Autoclave sterilization introduces high pressure steam into a chamber containing the objects to be sterilized. Therefore, these devices must be able to withstand autoclaving temperatures in the range of 135°C without damage, deformation, or disintegration. Read more...
04 May Boosting the bottom line. Choosing the right contact technology for your connectivity. As more pressure is put on industries to boost the bottom line, management is taking a closer look at all operating costs, including connectivity. Read more...