Blog

Will we ever get full-fiber broadband?

2019-11-28T10:45:57Z

For billions of people across the world struggling to get affordable and reliable high-speed internet access, full-fiber broadband is the stuff dreams are made of. But first of all, what exactly is full-fiber broadband? No, it’s not broadband of...(read more)

Back to where it all began: Fiber optics in Britain

2019-11-28T09:29:22Z

Digital technologies alongside fiber optic communication is a field in which the UK is a ground breaker. The history of emerging digital technologies is not usually associated with Britain. They are more associated with East Asia who inundated t...(read more)

Will there be a new revolution with hollow-core fiber optics?

2019-11-27T15:23:54Z

Digital communications, wherever we are in the world, are made possible almost instantaneously by tiny packets of data travelling vast distances from one server to another via tiny strands of optical fiber. We take it almost for granted that every ti...(read more)

Should you choose a rocker switch for your operator interface?

2019-11-25T16:09:08Z

Most industrial control systems require a space where interactions occur between the human and the machine. This is commonly known as an operator interface, and switches form a vital component in these areas, enabling the operator to quickly turn com...(read more)

This is why rugged sensors and connectors are the key to the next level of industrial automation

2019-11-25T16:04:28Z

Modern industrial machinery requires an increasing number of sensors to boost their performance, and these devices have to survive in increasingly harsh environments, placing larger demands on the performance of the connectors.At the same time, pract...(read more)

Sensors and industrial automation

2019-11-25T15:58:19Z

Since it was first introduced in 1996, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard has become the interface of choice for an enormous range of computing and communications applications, both for data transfer and for charging.Over recent years, the trend...(read more)

Types of sensors that can be used for object detection

2019-11-25T15:45:02Z

The automation industry has grown tremendously over the years. Many of the automated processes depend on object detection. From garage gates that open when a car approaches to escalators that start moving when a person stands on the first step, autom...(read more)

Four common applications for temperature sensors

2019-11-25T15:41:01Z

Whether it’s compensating for temperature-dependent electrical changes, or ensuring equipment doesn’t overheat, there’s almost always a need to know whether your system is blowing hot or cold. The temperature sensor market is, therefore, substantial,...(read more)

Will 5G networks threaten fiber optic communications?

2019-11-25T15:36:14Z

5G, the fifth generation of mobile networks, is already starting to be rolled out in South Korea, the UK and the US and many other countries. The most striking benefit it offers is higher speed, with averages starting at something like 200Mbps, or ar...(read more)

Questions to ask when selecting rugged switches

2019-11-25T15:32:24Z

On the surface, selecting the correct switch for a given design might seem like a relatively simple decision and there’s certainly no shortage of switch types to choose from or ways of using them, with a huge range of assorted types, styles, colours ...(read more)

Diffused, through-beam and retroreflective sensors - what's the difference?

2019-11-25T15:28:47Z

Sensing light is immensely useful in many applications. Want to check everything on your production line is stood up and oriented correctly? Need to count small items your manufacturing system is making? And want to do it all reliably, cost-effective...(read more)

Understanding USB-C type speeds

2019-11-25T15:24:40Z

The essential features connectors need to survive the harshest environments

2019-11-25T15:20:41Z

While most of us live and work in relatively protected and safe indoor environments, much of the world’s most critical electronic systems and equipment operate in harsh conditions. Whether it is water, dust, extreme weather, explosive atmospheres or ...(read more)

Terminating and crimping for fiber optics: methods and tips

2019-11-25T15:14:08Z

For any fiber optic network, it’s important that the fibers are connected properly. A reliable connection will maintain efficient network operation by minimising light loss, and will avoid any problems from moisture or dirt getting in to the connecto...(read more)

How does cold weather affect fiber optic cables and connectors?

2019-11-25T15:10:14Z

Optical fiber is everywhere: carrying huge quantities of data at the speed of light. Glass or plastic, fiber is super-fast, flexible and thin, around the thickness of human hair.The fiber carries data as pulses of light, and has nowadays overtaken co...(read more)