Trends in Connector Development for 2030 and Beyond

Seven years in the future doesn’t seem that futuristic.

Yet in that span, the world is likely to witness several game-changers in the datacom, transportation, energy and consumer connectivity industries. 

A recent Molex report, Predicting the Connectivity of Tomorrow, shares an in-depth look at the inspiring developments in electronics through the remainder of this decade.

The report showcases emerging applications like contactless connectivity and data transmission at twice the speeds we see today, as well as slim devices that cross new frontiers in miniaturization. 

This blog offers a glimpse into Molex’s innovative approach to connector design — squarely aimed at enabling the connectivity of the future. 

What will drive major trends in the development of interconnect solutions from now until the end of the decade? And how will Molex keep up with the rapidly evolving landscape of data, devices and infrastructure?

Making a connector that can move more power or data might seem like a simple feat. But like any other design problem, interconnect technology must make trade-offs between variables that are often at odds with each other. For any connector, the main variables are:

• Signal integrity and power quality 
• Rate of data transfer and/or power rating
• Thermal management
• Form factor, size and weight

Amplifying one variable often generates deficiencies in others. Higher power applications, for example, force engineers to consider the extra thermal energy generated. Faster speeds through a cable or wireless device might result in more noise and less signal. A glimpse into the future of connector design can already be seen in Molex’s miniaturization efforts, where engineers are balancing heat, weight, power and data in an ever-smaller form factor. 

What will the development of new hardware components look like in 2030? Recently, the Molex predictive engineering simulation team collaborated on a pilot project to help develop MX-DaSH Connectors. This approach provides a preview of the enormous changes to come in product development. The team is helping current transportation clients find the right balance of variables in their custom components.

The predictive engineering approach originates in transportation applications, where assemblies of vehicle subsystems come together in a virtual space. These 3D parts, referred to as digital twins, are embedded with all the simulated physics of the physical object. The software simulation can provide insights into the electrical, mechanical and thermal performance of a product well before the fabrication of a physical prototype.

Predictive analysis can introduce various stressors from environmental conditions or replicate a lifetime of wear and tear. The Molex team has made progress in simulating a single connector that can demonstrate the effects of these stimuli on power and signal quality. Likewise, engineers can make a dimensional change to a connector design and measure how it impacts the product’s thermal profile or mechanical longevity. 

As digital twins continue to advance, they will provide performance validation on a wider range of factors, including structural integrity, weight, package size optimization, current rating, electromagnetic interference (EMI), high-voltage safety, ergonomic assembly and serviceability. 

Though still in the early stages of its technological maturity, predictive engineering has the potential in a more advanced form to upend all current notions of product development. To cutting-edge interconnect designers, full-function predictive engineering is the ultimate achievement.

Looking into the near future, digital twins will likely grow to encompass an entire assembly of a client’s product, so engineers can follow the interactions occurring throughout the application. Engineers can pinpoint performance capabilities, identify and fix problems before production, and receive valuable feedback about usage over the lifetime of an electronic product. Artificial intelligence (AI) can devise novel strategies and locate a precision balance of thermal management, performance, weight and form factor.

Digital twins may accompany troubleshooting technicians in the field, who will be able to view an ‘x-ray’ of complex machinery through augmented reality (AR) smart glasses. Likewise, virtual reality (VR) will let designers understand local infrastructure and perform failure analysis by stepping into a virtual site remotely. Will we see this in the future design of connectors? Only time will tell.  

Over time, digital twins might also prove their fidelity to the extent that the simulations replace physical prototypes for the purposes of product compliance. Imagine a 15-minute demonstration of a connector in simulation replacing a 6-week process of mechanical testing and prototyping.

The net result could be significantly shortened design cycles. By knowing how the different variables of a connector interact, product developers will be able to unlock new breakthroughs in miniaturization, power quality and cost efficiency.

How will connectors change over the remainder of the decade? Here are some of the market drivers placing pressure on the variables of connector design, along with examples of Molex innovations already in the pipeline:

1. Faster data rates 

The appetite for more and more data will be driven by the rising expectations of consumers along with the expansion of AI and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Pressure to innovate around data rates will be ongoing and will come to bear wherever the bottleneck is tightest — whether at the data center, at the edge or at points of transmission.

Increasing the speed of connections and cabling introduces increased risks to signal integrity. A hybrid cable made up of both fiber optics and copper wire is one Molex solution to address this conflict. By utilizing optical fibers to transmit data signals, while using the copper wires to transmit power, hybrid cables can transmit power over long distances while ensuring high-speed data transmission. 

In seven years, much of the datacom infrastructure will no longer operate at 112 Gbps, but at twice that rate. Molex has been on the cutting-edge of next-generation data center architectures by introducing the first-to-market comprehensive portfolio of 224 Gbps-PAM4 products.

2. Higher, faster power throughput

The decade ahead will look for ways to transfer energy from storage stations to portable devices. As batteries for EVs, homes and renewable installations proliferate, the demand grows for reliable ways to put this energy into action — preferably faster. 

Higher power is the answer to quick EV charging, but upgrades in voltages require an overhaul of connectivity in both vehicles and charge points. New designs also need to take into account safety risks and thermal effects. 

Molex is responding with high-performance busbar, connector and cable assembly solutions designed especially for high voltages. Innovations like embedded sensors inside busbars may be commonplace in EV charging stations by 2030.

3. Smaller components 

The trend of miniaturization continues across many industries, most prominently in RF/wireless devices, automotive, consumer electronics, data centers and edge computing.

Designers must face the challenge of creating smaller assemblies with greater feature density, driven by evolving user expectations for high performance in slimmer, more compact and even more rugged packages. Molex's commitment to solving new miniaturization problems has resulted in innovative interconnect solutions that increase functionality while driving down component footprints.

4. Contactless connectivity

What is the best connector for a 360-degree-pivoting industrial robotic arm? Eventually, the answer may be “one that isn’t there.” 

Contactless connectivity offers untethered freedom of movement as well as the elimination of tasks involving repeated manual mating and de-mating. Transferring both power and signal a short distance through magnetic inductive coupling has hundreds of potential applications in industries like automotive, industrial and consumer electronics.

Although still an emerging technology, contactless connectivity solutions offer the possibility of improved reliability, increased ruggedness and lower cost compared to conventional mechanical connectors.

The definition of innovation is creating or capturing value in new and different ways. Molex finds value through close collaboration with its customers — joining our own engineering teams with those of our customers to meet the requirements of today and prepare for the needs of the future. This provides us with unique insight across industries and the ability to educate our customers on connectivity solutions, technical breakthroughs and successful manufacturing techniques that can be adapted from other applications. After all, many of today’s trends were inspired or adapted from elsewhere. Here are just a few cases in point: 

• Vehicle infotainment is a confluence of popular features from consumer electronics and datacom infrastructure. 
• Medical technology companies refined miniaturized diagnostics, which now inform the future of consumer wearables. 
• And the consumerization of devices implies that user experiences from popular products like smartphones can be applied to other environments. 

Regardless of the source of inspiration, clients benefit from Molex’s deep investments in next-generation predictive engineering, prototyping and manufacturing methodologies. These approaches allow for faster development cycles, improved product quality and greater production flexibility — capabilities that are only growing over time. 

How can we work with you to envision the future of connector design? 

To learn more about the future of connectivity, read Predicting the Connectivity of Tomorrow.