The International Boatbuilders Exhibition and Conference, or IBEX for short, is not a “boat show” as the name seems to imply and many people think. It is actually a show comprised of component manufacturers and resellers focused on the companies that manufacture marine products including boats. It draws exhibitors and attendees from all over the world. Molex has been participating in this show for over 15 years. The primary reason is the fact that the marine market is very large but also very fragmented with hundreds of boat and marine equipment manufacturers spread across the globe. It is a market that is very hard to reach at all levels by simply trying to leverage a sales force already spread thin across many market segments. Consequently, the IBEX show is a great venue for Molex to showcase our interconnect solutions designed to support the harsh marine environment.

The first products Molex displayed very early in our participation were the solderless terminals manufactured in our Tampa Bay Operations. The primary focus was the Perma-Seal™ family of terminals with heat shrinkable NiAc™ insulation that provides an environmentally sealed termination. We then branched out into our Self-Contained Power Connectors designed for stranded marine cable and featuring waterproof boots to protect the connection. Molex was also a driving force behind the NMEA2000 cables and connectors and was the first connector company to provide NMEA2000 certified products. We branched out from there to develop sealed connector systems for harsh environments that are perfect for marine applications. These include the MX150L, SRC and XRC families. As traditional data connectors like USB and Ethernet found their way into the commercial vehicle and marine space, Molex developed sealed version of these to maintain signal integrity under tough environmental conditions.

Perma-Seal™

The most recent development sealed connector development is the ML-XT™ family of wire-to-wire connectors. The ML-XT™ family has many features and resulting benefits that make them superior to legacy sealed connector systems. They have protected wire seals that resist leaking when the wires are pulled at 90 degree angle and a very robust interface seal to name a few. Molex will be featuring the ML-XT™ connectors in our booth at this year’s IBEX show (September 30–October 2, 2014 Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Florida): booth #2135.

ML-XT™

For more information, please visit Molex.