FOCUS MARKET GUIDE 2024
FOCUS MARKET GUIDE 2024
FOCUS INDUSTRIES Every industry brings unique requirements. Yet they all share one common trait: the need for innovative interconnect solutions. From the vehicles of the future to medical and consumer devices, or anything inbetween, we have the products, capabilities, and expertise to bring our customers’ designs to market. In the following pages you will find details of the market trends and design enablers selected to provide the greatest opportunities for our collaborative efforts with our customers in 2024. Navigate through the pages to discover trending applications, focus products, and tools and resources to support your projects and programs.
Engineering Expertise Enhanced: Connecting Through the Power of Collaboration Molex believes in the transformative power of connections – yet we know that these connections extend far beyond technology-based frameworks. Our extensive portfolio of high-quality connectivity solutions reflects the trusted relationships we’ve built with our customers and industry allies. Each day, we commit to delivering on promised outcomes that address diverse and rapidly evolving needs. Our integrated global footprint, on-site Reliability Lab, crossdisciplinary engineering expertise and unwavering customer focus help organizations around the world deliver superior solutions.
Transportation
Automotive Technology Solutions Four key innovations are driving the future of vehicle design: connectivity, autonomous driving, invehicle experience and electrification will change how we use vehicles. The automotive environment remains a harsh place, and designers need to work with companies that can deliver the capabilities, global footprint and solutions they need to build vehicles for the future.
Industrial Automation
Industrial Automation Solutions & Technology Industrial automation systems—including robots, machine-to-machine communications and machine learning—have created the smart factory, which is facilitating faster times to market and improving responsiveness to changing demands. However, customers who wish to embrace smart solutions face several challenges, not the least of which is harsh environments. To successfully address these issues, customers require comprehensive connectivity innovations that can deliver high performance and reliability in the toughest conditions.
5G & Data Communication
Data Center Power Management Solutions
Making Innovation Possible
Disrupting the status quo with dynamic expertise
Enhancing Customer Relationships
Prioritizing efficient collaboration to fulfill promised outcomes
Data centers play a critical role in our data-driven society. As the hub of the internet, they provide the infrastructure and services that enable businesses and individuals to communicate, store and access data. Data centers require significant amounts of power to operate, and so require components that can deliver high performance and reliability.
MedTech
MedTech Technologies & Solutions
Focusing on Quality
Championing reliability and customer success 2
Investing in All-Star Engineering Teams
Human-centered care and meeting patient expectations is fueling a revolution in the medical technology (MedTech) industry. Recent advances in miniaturization of electronics components are providing designers with the opportunity to reimagine and humanize medical devices for the benefit of both patients and caregivers.
Supporting the people behind the technology
3
RAMPING UP RUGGED RELIABILITY
Transportation
Rugged once meant big and bulky—yet ruggedness today needs to encompass reliability, flexibility, functionality and shrinking form factors. Technology advances are enabling levels of autonomy and efficiency once only imagined. With productivity improvements increasing sensor density and making electronic systems more commonplace, components are often exposed to unpredictable conditions or harsh operating environments. Molex provides rugged and reliable connectivity solutions that help customers enhance product quality, optimize signal integrity, ensure dependable operation and keep the world running— through rain, sleet, snow, humidity, vibration, chemical sprays and more.
Few applications expose electronic systems to more environmental impacts than transportation. Internal engine vibration, battery heat and extreme weather conditions combine to create the ultimate connectivity test. Responding to increasing efficiency demands, today’s design engineers must accommodate higher electronic densities, tighter space constraints and reduced weights. Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), autonomous driving (AD) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) functionality often requires sensors, connectors and communication components throughout the vehicle. Molex gives automakers rugged and reliable connectivity solutions that offer superior vibration resistance, reduced pitches, secure locking and latching mechanisms, and trusted ingress protection in tough yet compact packaging.
MedTech
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Emphasis on patient-centered care and remote patient monitoring (RPM) is driving demand for medical wearables and on-body drug delivery devices. These user-focused designs are similar to modern consumer products. Unlike consumer products, however, medical components and biocompatible sensors must comply with strict regulatory and safety standards—while being subjected to bumps and bodily fluids. Molex high performance interconnects and custom high-density medical connectors fill the prescription for rugged, reliable functionality.
Industrial Mini50
DuraClik
ConnTAK50
The rise of industrial automation reflects the growing capabilities of machine-to-machine communication and the need for increased data exchange. Smart factories enable real-time equipment interaction—and autonomous robots can enhance efficiency even more. Molex provides ruggedized industrial solutions that help optimize safety and performance. These offerings are engineered to withstand vibration, impacts and humidity extremes, even in the harshest environments.
FEATURED RESOURCES: • High-Speed FAKRA Mini (HFM) Coaxial Cable Solutions • Solution Guide to Rugged, Miniaturized Connectors
MXP120
Squba
MX150
• Blog – Making Room for Rugged, Reliable Connected Applications • Automotive Sealed Connector Guide • Product Brief – Sealed Power and Signal Connectors
Mirror Mezz 4
Harsh I/O Modules
Micro-Change 5
ENHANCING ELECTRIFICATION AND POWER EFFICIENCY
Transportation
Today’s consumer demands a vehicle that does more than provide transportation. Automakers are adding features that enhance safety, comfort, convenience and infotainment functionality. Yet all that efficiency creates advanced challenges in terms of electrical architecture. Electronics now represent over half the value of many vehicles—and those electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) are becoming more popular every day. As automakers adjust their engineering approaches, innovative Molex interconnect solutions harness decades of design and manufacturing expertise to help reduce wiring complexity, connect vehicles to the outside world, and create safer and quieter cockpits.
A widespread energy revolution is spurring major investments in EV charging infrastructure, grid modernization and rural connectivity. Information is unifying across interconnected systems shaped by fast-evolving data center architectures, AI and the IoT. Two important trends have emerged that are transforming traditional technology designs in key industries: electrification and power efficiency. Engineers need to navigate complex dynamics in this environment of growing awareness to identify the right connectivity solutions.
Data Center
While data centers are one of the most critical elements of modern business infrastructure, they’re also among the most energy-intensive—and they continue facing demand for energy enhancements, fueled by emerging technologies and the need for increased functionality. As system designers address challenges related to efficiency and operator responsibility, they must also identify approaches that prioritize thermal management while maximizing performance. Networks require robust power to adapt as demands keep shifting, yet they also need to contain the collective power footprint of their respective infrastructure. Molex brings industry-leading solutions powered by worldclass engineering expertise to support modern data centers.
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Industrial
Smart factory assembly lines are governed by sophisticated machine learning (ML) modules that analyze information and self-adjust in real time. This interconnected network needs significant electrical power supported by upgrades like transformers, switchgear and distribution panels. Molex offers a versatile portfolio of safe, high-power sensor and connectivity solutions engineered to withstand harsh-duty conditions.
Home Energy MX150
Mini-Fit
Squba
Growing consumer awareness and grid modernization are making home energy management more proactive. Residential use of renewable energy is expanding, home battery storage systems are saving consumers money, smart homes are increasingly efficient and residential EV charging may soon become commonplace. Molex connectivity solutions are tested and engineered to provide safe, secure and adaptable peace of mind.
Energy Storage
Aging power plant infrastructures are transforming into “smart grids” featuring sensors that help catch issues early—with distributed energy resources acting as microgrids that can power essential facilities in emergencies. Soon, homes and hospitals may also run on renewable surplus energy from battery storage systems. Molex supplies specialized connectivity for all these innovations, each bridged by power and signal.
Compactus
EXTreme Power
PowerWize
FEATURED RESOURCES: • Busbar Solutions • Blog – Emerging Trends from Electrification to Energy Management • Blog – Innovations in Home Energy Management • Application Teardown – Home Energy Gateway Storage System • Application Teardown – Home Energy Battery Storage System • Blog – Uninterruptible Power: The Key to Mission-Critical Continuity in Data Centers
CMC / CMX 6
SW1
Terminal Blocks 7
ADAPTING TO AI, MACHINE LEARNING AND AUTOMATION
Data Center & Cloud Computing
Data centers continue to face the challenge of delivering more data faster. Meeting the everincreasing demands of AI, ML, 1.6T networking and other high-speed applications requires the latest modernized infrastructure that can support servers, routers, switches, cloud storage and more. Molex offers leading-edge solutions that facilitate critical data center goals related to scalability, modularity, efficiency and standardization. Our integrated capabilities, consultative support and adaptable connectivity innovations give today’s customers a competitive edge.
The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) cannot be overstated. These major technological shifts are driving emerging innovations that will transform key aspects of nearly every industry with enhanced efficiency, awareness and automation. Yet achieving the full potential of these revolutionary advances requires sophisticated sensors, connector assemblies and related components that are engineered to optimize operational efficiency.
Smart Factory
Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution, helps manufacturers capture and analyze information to reduce bottlenecks, enable predictive maintenance and optimize operational efficiency across the smart factory floor. Demand for a new era of automation leveraging the industrial internet of things (IIoT) is driving widespread digital transformation. AI and ML are ramping up to help address data scaling requirements, enhance quality control, increase productivity and improve material handling— enabling comprehensive decision making at speeds approaching real time. Molex offers specialized sensors and ruggedized connector assemblies aligned to major protocols, for safe and intelligent operation in even the most challenging environments.
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Robotics – Industrial, Medical, Consumer
Mirror Mezz
High-Speed Pluggable IO
Single-Pair Ethernet (SPE)
Automation advances are introducing robotics across multiple industries. The industrial space is starting to apply localized, machine-to-machine (M2M) logic that creates intelligent assembly lines with robots performing repetitive tasks. In the medical industry, surgical robots employ cameras and imaging equipment to help human doctors improve visualization and accuracy during procedures. In the consumer marketplace, robotic flexibility is helping to create multiple products at scale as buyer expectations keep changing. Across all these applications and more, Molex offers heavy-duty yet compact connectivity solutions that support reliable, adaptable performance.
FEATURED RESOURCES: • Case Study: Fueling Development of Flexible Industrial Automation Solutions • Brad Core Catalog:
Brad Industrial Connectivity
Heavy-Duty Connectors (HDC)
Easy-On
– Brad Core Program, Industrial Automation, Americas – Brad Core Program, Industrial Automation, Europe – Brad Core Program, Industrial Automation, Japan • Video – Molex Standard and Custom Flamar Cables for Industrial Automation • Blog – Harnessing the Third Wave of Artificial Intelligence
Quad-Row 8
Harsh I/O Modules
SW1 9
MAXIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY WITH MINIATURIZATION
Transportation
In addition to addressing engine-related space limitations and the shift toward zonal architecture, automakers are adding all sorts of new in-vehicle features to keep up with consumer demand. Key components are shrinking, since they now need to be placed throughout the vehicle for enhanced communication. As vehicles increase their dependence on digital systems for navigation, safety, comfort and entertainment, every connector takes on greater importance. Making these connectors smaller and lighter while maintaining reliability is no small feat—but Molex is at the forefront of these miniaturization efforts, collaborating with manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers to create tomorrow’s breakthrough solutions today.
Packing more features into increasingly smaller spaces is a trend making massive headway. The move toward miniaturization affects numerous industries including transportation, consumer appliances, MedTech and industrial automation. Design engineers need to create slimmer, smaller and lighter components without sacrificing safety, performance or durability. That means they often need to enhance functionality and increase I/O densities to satisfy fast-evolving user expectations. As demand grows for shrinking devices, the connectors inside must also become smaller while supporting reliable performance.
MedTech
As healthcare providers seek new ways to improve treatment outcomes, facilitate on-the-go care and enhance patient comfort, MedTech manufacturers are incorporating an immense range of miniaturized electronics into medical-grade wearables and on-body drug delivery devices. Diagnostic and surgical innovations are becoming more miniaturized as well. Yet with patient well-being at stake, engineers need to address complex connectivity challenges. Molex connector, cable and sensor solutions emphasize safety and patient experience as these specialized products grow smaller.
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Home Appliance
Home appliances are becoming smarter—yet that means components often need to get smaller to accommodate more functionality within the available space. Design engineers are looking for connectivity and sensing solutions that help maximize power efficiency, support assembly ergonomics and meet environmental safety concerns. Molex understands that dependable interconnectivity is hugely important as the move toward miniaturization continues.
Mini50
DuraClik
ConnTAK50
Industrial
Today’s industrial facilities are becoming data-driven smart factories that need specialized sensors and dependable connector assemblies everywhere. Modern manufacturing decentralizes network architectures—and it’s normally not practical to keep expanding the physical building space. That’s why many of these components need to be as compact as possible. Molex has a long history of engineering ruggedized solutions that are small yet robust enough to support evolving industrial needs.
FEATURED RESOURCES: MX-DaSH
Quad-Row
stAK50h
• Quad-Row: World’s Smallest Board-to-Board Connector • Molex Tech Talk – Miniaturization Trends • Blog – Unleashing the Power of Connected Cars • Product Brief – Easy-On FFC/FPC Connectors, FD19 Series, for In-Vehicle Infotainment and ADAS Applications • Transportation Tech Briefs • Product Brief – SlimStack
SlimStack 10
Nano-Fit
Nano-Change M8 11
DELIVERING HIGH-SPEED DATA
Transportation
Today’s world of high-speed technology puts us at the threshold of life-changing advances that could rival history’s most significant revolutions—and since almost every aspect of modern life depends on high-speed communication, the need for fast information exchange just keeps accelerating. Yet helping connected technologies evolve in sync demands careful consideration of signal and power integrity, form factor, pin design, latching, placement and more. Molex gives customers in virtually every industry advanced solutions that consistently help them keep pace.
Nearly everything about today’s evolving vehicle demands fast information exchange. Sensors and ADAS features process insights about driver preferences and external surroundings in seconds. Key components are now placed all around the vehicle to optimize signal and bandwidth for quick, clear communication. Zonal architecture shortens the distance between wires to support agile data exchange. V2X connects vehicles in nearly every direction for rapid, robust efficiency. Molex supports all these developments and more with high-speed signal and power solutions—helping automakers pave the way for a safer, more aware and informed driving experience.
MedTech
The internet of medical things (IoMT) is being powered by high-speed data processing advances like AI and ML. On-body devices like injectors and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) can quickly convey data or administer treatments to enable home-based care. Life-saving innovations like electrophysiology ablation catheters and external cardiac defibrillators often depend on split-second functionality. Forward-thinking Molex MedTech solutions and capabilities help enable high-speed information processing when patient well-being is riding on every connection.
FEATURED PRODUCTS
Data Center
Mirror Mezz
Optical Connectivity
MX-DaSH
The need for data center power and speed is nearly off the charts due to AI, the IoT, cloud computing, remote work and 5G wireless communications. Forced to maximize throughputs inside a fixed footprint, modern data centers are packing more high-speed processors into server racks. All that equipment demands dependable energy flow while generating huge amounts of heat. This is why connectors used in data centers need to support blazing speeds, signal integrity and thermal management inside a smaller package. Molex gives customers decades of specialized expertise in the high-speed connector arena. Molex was even first to market with a robust 224 Gpbs-PAM4 portfolio that supports the most significant acceleration shift in decades.
FEATURED RESOURCES: • 224 Gbps-PAM4 High-Speed Data Center Technology • Digital Product Board – Transportation High-Speed Networking Cable Solutions
SlimStack
Modular Jacks
High-Speed Pluggable IO
• High-Speed Networking Solution Applications by Data Rate Table • High-Speed Networking Solution Protocol by Data Rate Table • Solution Guide – Premo-Flex Flexible Solutions • Optical Connectivity Reference Guide
Premo-Flex 12
HSAutoLink
SEARAY / SEARAY Slim 13
KEEPING ON TOP OF INDUSTRY TRENDS
Stay Ahead of the Connectivity Curve
Today’s competitive landscape demands practical solutions to complex and evolving design challenges, so choosing a knowledgeable supplier can make or break market success. Molex empowers customers with the latest trend-related insights reflecting our consultative approach, globally integrated footprint and decades of proven expertise across multiple industries. Current trends include:
Personalized Updates Designing for Reliability
Power System Design
We help engineers balance cost, performance needs, consumer demand and ever-accelerating release cycles.
When it comes to power system efficiency and dependability, we realize there’s no room for sacrifice.
Industry 4.0
Design and Manufacturing Technology
We equip customers to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and engineer tomorrow’s smart industrial environments today.
We deliver high performance design and manufacturing capabilities at scale.
Cross-Reference Guide
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Automotive Innovation
Miniaturization Advantages
For over 80 years, we’ve been driving electronics innovations that help transform the transportation marketplace.
We produce adaptable streamlined solutions for space-constrained applications in every sector. 15
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