It may be obvious that any component added to a circuit path makes a contribution to the overall resistance of that path. This is certainly true of a set of mating connectors having a separable interface. However, the elements making up that contribution may not be so obvious. Each of the mating connectors includes three […]

Nov 23, 2020 Fretting Corrosion of Tin Contacts — A Growing Problem in the Automotive Industry Tin and tin-based finishes are less expensive contact finish solution compared to precious metals, but it comes with its own set of problems. This paper is a concise review of the current problems with use of the tin finish […]

APEX EIC, LLC Statement Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic Situation To comply with State COVID-19 guidelines APEX experts are currently working from home. You may contact us as normal, either by phone, by email, or through this website’s Contact Us page. Until these restrictions are lifted we cannot have face-to-face meetings. In the interim we can […]

APEX consultants have once again been named as inventors on a patent granted for work done for a client.The patent for CONNECTORS FOR ELECTRICALLY ACTIVE GRID was issued to Worthington Armstrong Venture. As is common, all patents resulting from APEX work are assigned to the APEX client commissioning the work. APEX consultants are listed as […]

Aug 10, 2016 New educational presentation by APEX posted Apex Electrical Interconnection Consultants, LLC (APEX) continues to publish short educational presentations using the available social media channels, specifically the YouTube. The presentation by George Bedorf (APEX Principal Consultant) on problem solving (here is the link to it “Problem Solving 8D”) was posted on 8/5/13 and […]

Jun 10, 2016 Patent Litigation Concerns and Considerations If you are feeling secure because an exclusive design or end product contains various unique and patented components, you may want to think again Patent infringement litigation is on the rise. Companies are increasingly willing to enforce their patents, as noted by the following news clips: “The […]

Jun 10, 2016 Navigating the Connector Design Review Process There are usually several Design Reviews conducted throughout the New Product Development cycle for electrical connectors. These reviews occur when the product is ready to pass from one of the several development phases to another. The primary purpose of a design review is to evaluate the […]

Mar 25, 2016 CCSI: Connector Crime Scene Investigation Failure analysis investigation requires at least two ingredients: experts and technical means. This article briefly touches on the current expert situation in the US, particularly the effects of globalization. It also describes some of the technical methods used in failure investigation, starting with simple inspection, often aided […]

Dec 30, 2015 Connector Design Checklist There are fundamentally three specific elements of an electrical contact that are used within a multiple position connector. A multiple position connector for this purpose is defined as one which contains a molded plastic housing and a series of contacts that are attached to wires or printed circuit boards […]

Dec 30, 2015 Managing Connector Design Changes There are many possible motivations for considering and implementing changes to the design of a connector. Typically these would include: •Enhance performance when requested by a specific customer or the general marketplace. (Competitive performance) •Solve an unexpected problem with the connector design that was found after release of […]

Oct 16, 2015 Single Mode Connector Attenuation Estimation Using Monte Carlo Simulation An optical fiber connector is a mechanical component that transfers light between two fibers or between a fiber and an active device such as a transmitter or receiver. A connector is intended to easily mate and un-mate repeatedly over its service lifetime. A […]

Sep 14, 2015 How to Successfully Launch a New Connector Product Release/Launch, is a very critical phase in the process, but it is the one that is often overlooked or not recognized for the importance it contributes to a total process. This article will address the skills needed that may be used to facilitate this […]

The Importance of Contact/Housing Retention Connectors retain their electrical contacts within an insulating housing. Some retention mechanisms are more reliable than others. Serious issues can arise if the contacts are not assembled properly, or if the design of the retention device is not robust. This paper focuses on user-installed contacts, and addresses the importance of […]

Jul 18, 2015 Increase Contact Performance by Pre-Stressing In this short discourse we discuss the consequences of residual stress that had developed in a contact beam that had been subjected to stresses beyond the materials elastic limit. We intend to show that residual stress may be beneficial, or if not properly configured, may actually be […]

Jun 25, 2015 Connector Manufacturing Process Validation Connectors are made from plastic and metal. The selection of these materials, including metal finishing, along with very precise and detailed mechanical parameters, are described on production drawings and related specifications. Connectors that meet all the specified design requirements are manufactured and tested to validate the connector performance. […]

Required Skills for the Manufacturing Phase of Connector Development This article highlights not only the skills needed but also some tools that may be used to facilitate the process. Individuals having broad experience in manufacturing and materials management disciplines are needed in this phase. By this time, the product design is well documented and the […]

May 12, 2015 Contact Design Considerations For Long-Term Reliability For those critical electrical contact applications where the consequences of failure are severe and long-term reliability is paramount, reliance is customarily placed on noble metal finishes. Gold is by far the noble metal finish of choice. Gold, of the proper thickness and with an appropriate underplate, […]

May 12, 2015 Silver – A Superior Finish for High Current Applications Connector designers have available a wide selection of finishes to consider for high current applications, both noble as well as non-noble metals. The choice would consider performance as well as cost aspects. Failures of high current contacts are somewhat distinct from those of […]

Apr 22, 2015 The Basics of Connector Soldering Many connectors and related components are subject to joining processes, which primarily involve soldering.The quality of these processes can be a key factor in component performance.The article covers basics of soldering, such as conditions necessary for solder to wet the substrate.It discusses interaction of solder with substrate […]

Apr 22, 2015 The Engineering Phase of New Product Design In a previous article, it was suggested that to assure a successful connector development and launch, companies need to optimize the talents of their employees to assure that critical needs are addressed. It was suggested that the New Product Process consists of four specific phases, […]

Mar 20, 2015 Necessary Skills for Successful New Connector Development Successful new product developments and product release to the market requires that a company recognize and implement a structure to optimize the talents and skills of the staff and in creating an effective organization to assure that the critical needs are addressed. The new product […]

Mar 20, 2015 Why Even Minor Increases in Contact Resistance Matter When a contact is mated, only a relatively small area is actually touching.All of the current must flow through this small area – the actual contact interface.Because the current is constricted to flow through this zone of contact, the resistance associated with this current […]

Mar 20, 2015 The Creative Phase of New Connector Development In a previous article, it was suggested that to assure a successful product development and launch, manufacturers need to optimize the talents of their employees to be sure that critical needs are addressed. It was suggested that the new product process consists of four specific […]

Dec 8, 2014 What Do Connectors Really Cost? Did you ever buy the lowest cost item, only to find out that the cost to use or own it was much more than you had expected? Quite often that is the case with connectors. Connectors are frequently selected based on purchase price without fully considering the […]

Nov 6, 2014 Who Owns Connector Selection Responsibility? Many times when there are field problems with a product that tie to a specific connector, the question is asked: “Who selected that crappy connector in the first place?”The answer is often not who selected the connector in the first place, but who selected it in the […]

Nov 6, 2014 How to Select a Connector Supplier Once several manufacturers’ connectors have been evaluated for a specific application, it is likely that the ultimate selection will be made from at least three or four manufacturers and maybe more if the connector is an industry standard.It then becomes necessary to establish a method to […]

Oct 17, 2014 How to Specify and Select a Connector Electrical connectors are mechanical components that serve an electrical function.In addition to carrying electrical current at a specified voltage, connectors either enable interconnection of components during the assembly process or enable the user to easily disconnect and reconnect different parts of the equipment. http://www.connectorsupplier.com/specify-and-select-a-connector/

Oct 17, 2014 Does Today’s Connector Industry Lack Experts? The connector industry has witnessed significant erosion of its talent base in recent decades.Because this has occurred bit by bit over a long period of time, few may have noticed how the industry has changed. http://www.connectorsupplier.com/todays-connector-industry-lack-experts/

Do You Know Basic Connector Attributes? Connectors, unfortunately, may contribute to an unacceptably high product failure rate. One reason for this is that connectors are typically a low priority in the initial design phase of the system. http://http://www.connectorsupplier.com/apex-on-how-to-specify-connectors-in-new-product-designs/