The Bulgin Podcast

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ While Bulgin's products are known for their exceptional ability to perform in harsh environments, there is a need for connectors to be utilised in hazardous environments. What is the difference between a harsh and a hazardous environment, what is the ATEX standard, and what does Bulgin offer engineers designing networks in hazardous environments to meet ATEX standards? These questions and more are covered in this episode of the Bulgin Podcast. 0:07 - Introduction 0:35 - The Difference Between a Harsh Environment and a Hazardous Environment 2:17 - Is There the Equivalent of an IP Rating for Hazardous Environments? 4:23 - Where Will People Find Bulgin Products Rated For Hazardous Environments? 6:02 - What Specifically Sets the Bulgin Explorer Range Apart From Standard Buccaneer Connectors? 7:48 - What Must an Engineer Consider in Order to be ATEX Compliant?  8:46 - What Resources to Bulgin Provide Designers When Trying to Create an ATEX Compliant Network Using Bulgin Products 10:37 - The Practicality of Actually Building and Connecting - Screw, Crimp, or Solder? 12:07 - Connectors Can be Used in Both Harsh and Hazardous Environments 13:17 - Summary - Bulgin.Com

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ From illuminating the exterior of landmarks to huge ornamental water fountains, providing data, power and signal in challenging places is becoming more and more common. The need to be able to run power to architectural light arrays or power, data and signal to underwater pumps is where Bulgin’s connectors come into their own. On this episode of the Bulgin Podcast, host Mark and guest David Pike the Connector Geek cover the demands placed on engineers tasked with designing networks for architectural lighting and water features, the safety considerations involved and how the Bulgin website can be used as a vital design and planning tool. 0:07 - Introduction 0:23 - Is There More to Architectural Lighting Than Just, Street Lights and Monument Lighting? 1:40 - Once Architectural Lighting Has Been Setup It is Typically Meant To be Left Alone 3:04 - What Role Does Bulgin Play In Creating Lighting Networks That Are Robust and Reliable? 3:54 - How Does the Buccaneer Range Meet the Demands of the Power Network in Architectural Lighting? 5:05 - Modern Lighting Requires Data and Signal 6:43 - Large Amount of Control Over an Industrial Level Amount of Lighting and Data 7:41 - Architectural Lighting Found in Water Features, and How Bulgin’s Products are Facilitating This Growing Demand 9:38 - Making Sure That No Electricity is Lost Through the Connector 11:24 - Architectural Lighting that Requires a Huge Draw on Electricity, What Options Do Engineers Have From the Bulgin Range 13:43 - Using the Bulgin.Com Website as a Resource 17:09 - Bulgin Products Doing Their Job Within Architectural Lighting Structures 18:07 - Switches From the Buccaneer Range That Provide All the Features That Are Required 19:35 - Summary - Bulgin.Com

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ In this episode Bulgin podcast host and guest David Pike, the Connector Geek, take a close look at the evolution taking place in factories around the world. As factories lean more and more heavily on the Internet of Things, the demands on data, power and signal grow. And right at the heart of this evolution are Bulgin's connectors, switches, and indicators. 0:07 - Introduction 0:35 - What is a Smart Factory? 4:59 - Smart Factories Rely Heavily on Power, Data, and Signal 6:22 - Employee Safety 7:07 - What are the Challenges For Engineers? 9:31 - The Integration of Technology in More and More Harsher Environments 10:29 - The Challenges Engineers Face When Selecting a Connector 12:23 - What Should an Engineer be Looking for in their Choices of Switch and Indicator for Use in a Smart Factory? 13:36 - Using Bulgin.Com as a Resource 16:06 - The Idea of Edge Computing 19:11 - The Smart Factory Being a Case Study for how the Internet of Things is Becoming More Prominent 20:47 - Summary

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ Bulgin Product Manager, Guy Lorenzo, joins the Bulgin Podcast to give us an overview of Bulgin's family of switches. From capacitive touch to vandal-resistant, we dive deep into the choices to consider when choosing switches for data, power, or signal networks. 0:07 - Introduction 1:10 - What Sets Bulgins Products Apart From Other Offerings on the Market? 2:33 - What Is Unique About Bulgins Piezo Switches? 4:29 - What Sort of Durability Do the Piezo Switches Offer? 5:30 - As They are Known as Vandal Resistant, Are They Likely to Only Be Used in Places Where Vandalism is a Risk? 7:44 - Bulgins Design Team Listening To Market Demands, Research, Developing, and Launching Products 8:59 - Overview of 8500 and 8550 Ranges of Miniature Rocker Switches 10:30 - What is the Relationship between the 8300 Range of Switches and the 8500/8550 Range? 19:20 - How Has the Market Demand Changed? 21:09 - How is the World of Switches and Connectors Evolving? 23:04 - What is the Best Way for Companies to Get in Touch With Bulgin and Bulgins Design Team? 24:06 - Summary

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ The speed of innovation in the world of electronics is astounding and has spread into every aspect of modern life. From agriculture to security, electronic equipment is becoming more sophisticated and is also expected to function perfectly in harsh environments. Bulgin has decades of experience in designing connectors for harsh environments. With a comprehensive range of solutions upon which to base a modification, Bulgin has the flexibility to create the small changes that will make a big difference to your design. In this episode, Bulgin podcast host Mark and guest David Pike the Connector Geek, discuss how Bulgin utilises its experience to create custom solutions for a demanding market. 0:07 - Introduction 1:10 - What are the Pressures Being Put on Engineers in the 21st Century? 2:40 - Why Does Bulgin Feel the Need to Offer Custom Solutions to Clients 4:10 - Using the Bulgin Website to Find Solutions to Problems and Custom Products 8:39 - Case Study of Custom Product Designed for a Client on the Bulgin Website 11:36 - Tweaking Current Products to Meet Very Specific Demands 13:13 - Discussion on Using CAD Drawings When Looking to at Getting Custom Products Manufactured 15:00 - Innovation isn’t Necessarily Costly / Cost Shouldn’t Hold Back Ideas 16:19 - Bulgin Isn’t Looking to Just Sell Products to Clients They are There to Help the Industries They Serve Innovate and Help Them Continue be at the Cutting Edge 17:53 - Summary

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ Radiofrequency, or RF, communication is at the heart of many of the latest innovations. While the consumer market has seen the early adoption of this new technology, the capabilities of 5G mean that it will have a far greater impact in other areas. In addition to the telecommunications industry, there are many applications driving the growth of high-speed RF connectors, including the manufacturing, test and measurement, military, and Satellite communication sectors. Bulgin podcast host Mark and guest the Connector Geek David Pike, discuss the new RF connector family from Bulgin which delivers high-performance solutions for the latest high-speed communication and test applications. 0:07 - Introduction 0:23 - Quick Overview of What RF Connectors Are 1:39 - Why Use RF Connectors in the First Place? 2:31 - Specific Market Demands Leading to the Use of Precision RF Connectors 4:16 - Will Precision RF Connectors Replace Traditional Copper or Coaxial Connectors? 5:18 - Is the Move to Precision RF Connectors Going to Affect the Design of a Network? 6:24 - General Expectations an Engineer / Designer Should Have When Approaching Precision RF Connectors 9:00 - Will Market Demands Cause Engineers / Designers to Lean More Heavily Into the Usage of Precision RF Connectors? 10:09 - From Military Use to Domestic Use 11:20 - Using Bulgin.Com as a Resource With Available 3D CAD Drawings 13:44 - Summary

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ Over the course of this season of the Bulgin Podcast we’ve covered industries that rely on Bulgin’s products to provide reliable and robust connection in harsh environments. Connectors used in power networks are one of the few places where people are potentially exposed to live electricity, and on this episode, host Mark and David Pike the Connector Geek, discuss the topic of the safety features built in to Bulgin’s connectors that are used in power networks. 0:07 - Introduction 0:40 - The Importance of Safety Within a Power Network and the Role That Connectors Play 2:20 - Moisture, Dirt, Liquid and Safety in the Power Network 3:44 - What Sort of Technologies are at Play in Bulgins Connectors to Ensure That on a Power Network Safety is the Number One Consideration? 7:08 - What Other Practical Applications Do ‘Leading Earth Pins’ Offer Engineers 8:28 - Are ‘Leading Earth Pins’ a Special Feature? 9:32 - Would the Leading Pins be Evident in the 3D CAD Drawings? 10:20 - Do Leading Earth Pins allow for ‘Hot-Swappable’ in a Power Network? 11:49 - Is This the Only Feature Bulgin Connectors Have in Regards to Safety and Power? 12:43 - Using Bulgin.Com as a Resource - Summary

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ With global demands increase on the transportation sector, it's never been more important for engineers to design robust and reliable data, power and signal networks. On this episode of the Bulgin Podcast, host Mark chats with David Pike the Connector Geek about the challenges facing transportation and how Bulgin is at the heart of keeping the industry running reliably. 0:07 - Introduction 1:00 - Transportation Infrastructure Essential to Modern Life 1:52 - The Immense Problems Engineers Have to Solve in This Realm 3:24 - The Massive Amounts of Power, Data, and Signal That is Present in the Transportation Infrastructure 5:24 - Bulgins Rectangular Connectors Used Within the Transportation Infrastructure 7:00 - The Key Role Switches Play in the Transportation Infrastructure and the Switches Bulgin Supply 8:50 - Failing Connectors and Switches and the Massive Problems This Would Cause 9:51 - What Role is the Internet of Things Playing in the Evolution of the Transportation Infrastructure 11:55 - Using Bulgin.Com as a Resource / The Availability of CAD Drawings 14:06 - The Top Three Considerations for an Engineer Working in the Transportation Sector 16:13 - Specific Transport & Infrastructure Page on Bulgin.Com 17:00 - Looking to the Future and What Engineers Should Keep an Eye Out For

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ More and more of our lives have seen smart technology make an appearance, from smart fridges, smart bulbs and much more. But beyond our homes, smart technology is playing an increasingly important role. From the production of food and medicines to how goods and services are delivered. And smart technology relies heavily on Bulgin products to deliver power, data and signal. In this episode of the Bulgin Podcast, host Mark and guest David Pike the Connector Geek, discuss the key challenges that engineers face and how Bulgin is providing the solutions. 0:07 - Introduction 1:31 - Elaboration on What Smart Technology Actually Is 3:00 - The World of Connectivity is Expanding and Growing 4:11 - What is a Smart Factory and How Does it Differ From a Traditional One 7:18 - Connectivity and Data as a Commodity Within the Smart Factory 8:14 - Bulgin Connectors Will Ensure That Data and Power are Reliably and Securely Transferred Through the Factory 9:26 - Smart Factories Could be Pivotal to the Success of Economies 11:35 - Bulgin Connectors are Playing an Important Part in the Development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution 13:11 - Quick Overview of What a Smart Farm Actually Is 14:55 - Does the Sizing of Components Change on a Smart Farm? 16:40 - What Kind of Materials Should an Engineer be Looking For in a Connector When Designing a Smart Farm? 18:59 - Overview of What an Urban Farm Is 22:36 - As Food is Being Grown There Can Be No Failure in the Connector 23:20 - Are Smart Cities More Than Just Internet of Things 25:29 - The Vital Role Connectors Will Play in a Smart City 27:03 - Distributed Energy Resource in Smart Grids 29:56 - Will the Humble Bulgin Circular Connector Play a Huge Role in the Evolution of Industry? 31:51 - Summary / Connector Types / Material

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ Bulgin Product Manager, Carlos Rodriguez, joins the Bulgin Podcast to explain how the 21st Century Smart Farm is demanding more and more from Bulgin's team of product engineers, and how Bulgin is stepping up to ensure that technology and farming are evolving side-by-side to meet global demands. 0:07 - Introduction 0:33 - What are the Demands Farming is Making on Agriculture in the 21st Century 1:18 - What is Bulgin Doing as a Company to Keep Up with These Demands? 2:23 - How Does Bulgin Identify the Exact Needs of Clients and Customers Within the World of Agriculture 3:38 - Typical Connecters that Engineers would Draw into Their Designs for Agriculture 4:30 - Are the Buccaneer Range of Connectors Still the Go To for Agriculture? 6:20 - The Demands of Vertical Farms 7:16 - Hydroponics - And the Challenges it Brings to the World of Connectors 10:46 - Using the 400 Series Smart Chip Connector and the Change in Results 12:19 - How Important is it to Understand the Problems Farmers / Ranchers Face? 13:22 - Alleviating Client Pain Points and Selecting the Correct Bulgin Products 15:11 - Can the 9000 Series be Used in an Agricultural Setting? 16:26 - The Harshness of Farming and The Installation of Connectors 17:53 - The Level of Confidence a Client can Have With Bulgin Connectors 18:44 - Examples of Case Studies in the Farming Sphere and Why Bulgin Connectors are the Go To Connectors 21:08 - Summary of Added Value Offering

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ The drive to achieve Net Zero has brought the technology of heat pumps to the fore. In this episode of the Bulgin podcast, host Mark and guest David Pike the Connector Geek look at how Bulgin's range of products, coupled with its technical know-how, is ready to meet the challenges and demands of heat pumps. 0:07 - Introduction 0:48 - Summary on What Heat Pumps Are 2:25 - Heat Pumps Being Used More as the Future Continues 3:35 - What Role are Bulgins Connectors Going to Play in the Emergence of Heat Pumps in the Domestic Market 5:22 - Some of the features of Bulgins Buccaneer Range 6:56 - What Role Will the Internet of Things Have in Connection to Heat Pumps

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ Bulgin's connectors and switches are lauded for their harsh environment uses. But places like the typical domestic kitchen can throw up equally challenging engineering design challenges! In this episode of the Bulgin podcast, host Mark and guest David Pike the Connector Geek, chat about the 5 key impacts of moisture and humidity, how to plan and design with these in mind, and how Bulgin's products should be uitlised to mitigate against them. 0:07 - Introduction 0:49 - Heat and Moisture are a Risk to Data, Power and Signa 1:32 - Connectors Being Installed in Places that Would Have Seemed Impossible 2:26 - The Risk of Mixing Water and Electricity 4:08 - The Risk of Having No Standing Water But Electronics are in Place 6:34 - Bulgin’s Solutions Against Water Ingress 9:59 - The Threat of Condensation on the Integrity of a Connector 11:39 - The Problems of Cycling Through Heat and Cold 12:25 - The Ultimate Problem of Moisture and Humidity Being Corrosion 15:15 - Waterproof Connectors 16:10 - Bulgin.com Being Used as an Active Resource

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ Whether in the field or in the workshop, the question of screw, crimp or solder, is never far away. In this episode of the Bulgin podcast David Pike, the Connector Geek, and host Mark, breakdown the key questions and considerations to keep in mind when choosing how to terminate your connections. 0:07 - Introduction 0:18 - Overview of Screw, Crimp or Solder 1:04 - Which to Utilise Depending on Location 2:45 - How Important is This Decision on a Wider Scale 4:13 - Advantages and Disadvantages of a Screw Connection 7:39 - Advantages and Disadvantages of a Solder Connection 10:38 - Advantages and Disadvantages of a Crimp Connection 14:09 - Where Should the Termination Type Come in Order of Importance? 15:40 - Why it is Important to Carefully Consider Which Termination to Use 17:24 - Using the Bulgin Website to Help Consider the Type of Connection to Use

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ In this episode of the Bulgin podcast, host Mark and David Pike the Connector Geek talk about the industrial sector and the challenges it presents to engineers tasked with supplying reliable data, power and signal networks. Traditionally, industrial manufacturing plants, factories, etc, are often classed as harsh environments, which itself is a challenge that Bulgin’s range of switches and connectors have been designed to meet. 0:07 - Introduction 0:47 - What Do We Mean by “Industrial” 1:28 - The Harshness of Industrial Environments 3:32 - The Importance of Robustness and Reliability of the Power and Data Networks in Industrial Environments 6:06 - The Bulgin Connector Products that can be Used in the Industrial Sector 8:48 - Bulgin’s Indicator Products that Operators can Use 9:32 - Bulgin’s Line of Switches that are Ideal for the Industrial Sector   10:49 - Bulgin Products and their IP Rating and What This Means 13:06 - Using Bulgin’s Website as an Active Resource

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ The technology used by the medical industry must be reliable 100% of the time. Whether that technology requires data, power or signal, Bulgin’s products play a key role in ensuring that hospitals, doctor’s surgeries and the pharmaceutical industry have robust and reliable systems. In this episode of the Bulgin podcast, host Mark and David Pike the Connector Geek take a close look at the increasing demands of the medical industry and how engineers can trust Bulgin’s range of connectors and switches. 0:07 - Introduction 0:25 - Unique Problems the Medical Sector Presents 2:35 - How Bulgins Products Play a Part in all parts of the Medical Sector 4:28 - The Use of Switches in Sterile Environments 6:12 - The General Wear and Tear of Connectors in Harsh Environments 9:19 - The Reliability of Bulgin IEC Connectors 10:59 - Electromagnetic Interference and the Solutions Bulgin Offers 12:41 - Importance of Bulgins Wide Variety of Power Entry Modules When Working in the Medical Sector 14:41 - The Availability of CAD Drawings on Bulgins Website 16:36 - Summary

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ Whether landside or out at sea, the marine industry is one of the most demanding when it comes to the robustness of its power, data and signal networks. Whether on the deck of a container ship, or on a control panel on the bridge, Bulgin's connectors and switches are trusted to maintain network integrity. Bulgin podcast host Mark and Connector Geek David Pike look at why engineers trust Bulgin's products for this industry. 0:07 - Introduction 0:27 - Buccaneer Range Usage in the Marine Industry 0:46 - Some of the Demands that the Marine Industry Throws at Engineers 3:26 - Power, Signal, and Data 6:51 - Unmanned Surface Vehicles and Power, Signal, Data 8:14 - Marinas and Docks, How Bulgins Products Play their Part 9:50 - The Design of the Buccaneer Connector Range and the Materials Used for the Marine Industry 11:40 - The Underwater Component of the Marine Industry and the Challenges this Gives Engineers 14:41 - Bulgin.com Used as a Resource

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ In this episode of the Bulgin Podcast, host Mark and guest David Pike outline the 5 considerations for all engineers when choosing connectors, and how the Bulgin website has the tools required to make the right choices when designing networks. 0:07 - Introduction 0:30 - Why Considering the Correct Connector can be Challenging 1:55 - Importance of Refreshing Knowledge 2:50 - Quick Rundown of the 5 Key Considerations 3:14 - 1) Why is the Cable an Important Consideration When Choosing a Connector? 4:48 - Factoring in the Tools Needed 6:03 - 2) Why is the Environment an Important Consideration When Choosing a Connector? 9:11 - A Connector Being Left Unmated 10:05 - Engineers Must Also Consider the Material of the Connector 11:16 - 3) Why is the Electrical Requirements and Application an Important Consideration When Choosing a Connector? 13:32 - 4) Why are Physical Characteristics an Important Consideration When Choosing a Connector? 15:35 - Using Bulgin.Com as a Resource 16:58 - 5) Why is Performance an Important Consideration When Choosing a Connector? 19:47 - Summary

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ The oil and gas industry places almost unparalleled demands on the connectors and switches used in them. Bulgin podcast host Mark and guest David Pike the Connector Geek dive into these industries to look at the extent of the environmental challenges, and what to look for when choosing a Bulgin connector or switch for use in some of the harshest workplaces on earth.

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/ As the world of agriculture evolves to meet the growing demands of the global population, Bulgin's products sit at the heart of the technological evolution taking place in farms around the world. And with smart and vertical farms growing in prevalence, new technologies are meeting harsh and difficult environments. Bulgin podcast host Mark and guest David Pike take a close look at the challenges facing agriculture and how Bulgin has a proven track record for supplying the industry with connectors and switches that will survive tough environments. 0:07 - Introduction 0:38 - Agriculture Has Always Been at the Forefront of Adopting New Technology 1:26 - Trends in Agriculture Where Bulgin has to be Part of the Conversation 3:30 - How the Delicate World of Technology can Cope with the Harsh Environment of Farming 5:35 - What Kind of Networks are Smart Farms Putting into Place to Meet Data Demands 7:14 - Managing Power and Power Connections to Feed into the Data Networks 8:49 - What is an Urban Farm? 12:23 - Bulgin Connectors in Urban Farms and IP Protection 13:43 - The IP Ratings and the Level of Protection Offered 15:36 - How are Connectors Protected Against Heavy Farm Machinery 18:07 - Is Farming Seeing the Use of Unmanned Vehicles and Drones During Day-to-day Use? And What Role are Connectors Playing? 21:15 - Bulgin is Constantly Making Sure Their Connectors are on the Cutting Edge 23:38 - Using Bulgin.com as a Resource

Learn more about the products discussed - https://www.bulgin.com/  In the quest for sustainability, new technologies are changing how we generate and distribute energy. Bulgin podcast host Mark and guest David Pike chat about the role that Bulgin is playing in meeting the demands of the renewable energy sector. From remote solar farms to the harsh condition of off-shore wind farms, Bulgin's products are at the forefront of the renewable energy revolution. 0:07 - Introduction 0:33 - What is Renewable Energy? 1:44 - The World's Population and the Importance of Reusability 4:47 - Renewable Energy and Harsh Climates 8:01 - Where Does Bulgin Play its Role in These Harsh Climates? 10:38 - Microgeneration 14:56 - What Role Do Bulgin Connectors Play in the World of Renewable Energy? Visit the Bulgin website. Read the Bulgin Blog.