Blog
Commentary, industry trends, and updates from the interconnect world.
Cable shielding explained: Foil, braid, and EMI protection
Explore how cable shielding protects signal integrity from electromagnetic interference. Compare foil, braided, and combination shielding constructions for different application needs.
Top FPC connector failure modes and solutions
Examine the primary mechanical and electrical failure modes in FPC connectors. Learn how to prevent contact damage, cable pull-out, solder joint stress, and pin alignment errors.
Automotive FPC applications and reliability requirements
Explore automotive FPC applications in EV battery management (BMS), LED lighting, and ADAS sensors. Learn qualification standards, temperature limits, and vibration rules.
FPC design in consumer electronics: Smartphones, wearables, and cameras
Explore high-density FPC design strategies for consumer hardware. Learn dynamic folding rules, EMI shielding, 3D spatial routing, and micro-component SMT integration.
Troubleshooting FPC connections: Testing and debugging guide
A systematic engineering guide to diagnosing FPC failure modes. Learn continuity testing, TDR impedance checks, thermal imaging, and X-ray inspection methods.
Connectors used in autonomous driving systems
Examine high-reliability connector architectures for L3-L5 autonomous compute platforms. Learn dual-path redundancy, liquid-cooled power pins, high-density mezzanine headers, and fail-operational rules.
AI server architecture explained: Where connectors are used
Map out the physical interconnect hierarchy in modern AI clusters. Learn where high-density mezzanine headers, PCIe/CXL, copper flyovers, and 800G optical links sit within GPU servers.
Why AI infrastructure needs better connectors
Examine the physical interconnect bottlenecks in AI clusters. Learn how 224G PAM4 rates, 1000W+ GPU thermal envelopes, and rack-scale power delivery drive next-gen connector design.
Beyond Manual Routing: AI Optimization in High-Speed Connector Design
Designing modern high-speed connectors requires balancing complex signal integrity, thermal dissipation, and mechanical limits. Discover how AI algorithms are replacing manual pin optimization.
Navigating the Split: Supply Chain Bifurcation and Extended Component Lead Times
The hardware supply chain has fractured. Discover why standard connectors are readily available while advanced high-density backplanes and 800G/1.6T transceivers face lead times exceeding 40 weeks.
Designing for PCIe Gen 7: Maximizing Performance in Ultra-Low Profile Spaces
PCIe Gen 7 brings an incredible 128 GT/s throughput, but its tight margins require strict management of signal loss. Examine the mechanical and electrical innovations defining ultra-low profile mezzanine and card-edge connectors.
Bridging Power and Pixels: The Engineering of Zonal Automotive Connectors
The transition to software-defined vehicles and zonal architectures demands hybrid connector systems capable of shielding high-speed sensor streams right next to 800V powertrain cables.
Breaking the Thermal Barrier: Integrating Liquid Cooling into Pluggable I/O Cages
As data center infrastructure transitions to liquid cooling, front-panel optical transceivers face severe thermal limits. Discover how passive thermal bridge innovations are reshaping connector hardware.
Eliminating Human Error: The Shift to Blind-Mate Optical Backplanes
Manually connecting fragile fiber optics in dense server racks carries immense risk. Explore the mechanical alignment systems and micro-optics enabling robust blind-mate backplanes.
The Interconnect Crossroads: Co-Packaged Optics vs. Near-Chip Copper
As data centers demand unprecedented bandwidth, the battle lines are drawn between Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) and advanced near-chip copper solutions. Explore the trade-offs in power, cost, and reliability.
Compressing the Interface: Scaling Compute Sockets with Sub-0.5mm Pogo Pins
As silicon pin density surges and space disappears, spring-loaded pogo pin arrays with sub-0.5mm pitches are stepping up to deliver high-performance vertical interconnects.
Stripping the Complexity: Overcoming DIY Pitfalls in Micro-Interconnect Assembly
Hand-crimping sub-2mm pitch connectors or deploying cheap flexible flat cables in custom hardware prototypes often leads to signal degradation. Learn how to avoid these common assembly mistakes.
Bypassing the Board: Solving the 224Gbps PAM-4 Signal Integrity Bottleneck
As data rates climb to 224Gbps per lane using PAM-4 signaling, traditional PCB copper traces hit a physical wall. Discover how near-chip twinax bypass cable assemblies are replacing standard routing to rescue signal integrity.
Overcoming the AI Compute Footprint Bottleneck: Hybrid Connectors in 2026 Data Centers
The rapid scaling of generative AI accelerators in 2026 has pushed server rack power profiles to an astonishing 100kW. Discover how hybrid board-to-board connectors prevent hardware footprints from expanding under massive data and power loads.