Connectivity – the backbone of sustainable automation
or broken latching elements; RJ45 also limits miniaturization due to its size. In contrast, alternatives such as the ix Industrial interface from German supplier HARTING (Figure 1) are substantially smaller and much more robust, particularly resistant to shock and vibration. According
to the manufacturer, space savings of up to 70% on the circuit board are possible compared to standard RJ45. The 360°-shielded connector is designed for 10-Gbit/s Ethernet communication and is compatible with PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) as well as PoE+ for power transmission.
ix Industrial is an interface developed by HARTING in conjunction with Japanese
connector specialist Hirose. Its dimensions, electrical properties, and coding comply with the IEC 61076-3-124 standard. Other manufacturers, such as the US company Amphenol Communications Solutions, also offer products with comparable properties that are intermateable with ix Industrial: for example, push-pull connectors for harsh environments in protection degrees IP65/66/67, ix Mag connectors featuring integrated magnets (Figure 2), or Ethernet- to-RJ45 cable assemblies with angled RJ45 connectors; they provide both 100-Gbit Ethernet and PoE/PoE+ functionality. ix Industrial use case The following example illustrates the enormous potential of high- performance, miniaturized Ethernet interfaces for Industry 4.0 applications: The XTS linear transport system from automation specialist Beckhoff is a drive solution that uses magnetically driven movers traveling along a track of fully integrated motor modules. According to Beckhoff, their independent control allowing for individual motion profiles is
Figure 1: Considerably smaller and more robust than standard RJ45 connectors: HARTING's industrial Ethernet interface ix Industrial. (Image source: HARTING)
Figure 2: Amphenol ix Mag: Ethernet communication up to 10 Gbit/s, 360° shielding and PoE++ up to 90 W (Image source: Amphenol Communications Solutions)
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