CAT.6A cables already provide fast data transmission rates in industrial Ethernet systems. Yet these cables could not withstand the continuous flex or torsion requirements associated with moving machine applications. A new Etherline CAT.6A cables remove this limitation.
In an industry first, the Etherline cables combine CAT.6A’s 10 Gbit/sec data transfer rates with continuous flex and torsion performance suitable for robotics, machine vision systems, wind turbines and other industrial machines with motion systems. Previous continuous flex industrial Ethernet cables offered a maximum data transfer rate of 1 Gbit/sec.
To raise the bar on CAT6.A continuous flex performance, engineers had to solve a tricky shielding challenge. CAT6.A cables operate at frequencies up to 500 MHz, which predisposes them to electromagnetic noise and interference (EMI). A conventional shielding system capable of warding off EMI at these high frequencies would have made the cables too stiff for continuous flex or torsion applications.
So engineers created an entirely new shielding system that strikes a balance between EMI protection, flexibility, and the mechanical strength to withstand the high strains associated with continuous flex or torsion.
The new shielding uses a proprietary process that wraps aluminum compound foil around individual twisted pairs at an angle optimized for shielding performance. In addition, the cable has a copper braid reinforced with a foil-laminated fleece. This high-quality screening, the first of its kind, ensures extremely reliable data transfer.
Etherline CAT.6A comes in two versions, one optimized for continuous flex and the other for torsion. The continuous flex version is suitable for use in cable tracks and has been tested for more than one million bending cycles.
Available with either PVC or PUR jackets, both versions offer:
* Compliance to the PROFINET standard.
* Resistance to UV and flame.
* Performance in damp or dry operating environments.
New RJ45 and M12 x-coded connectors designed for the cables are also available.
Lapp Group
twww.lappusa.com/ethernetCAT
Filed Under: Cables & connectors, News, O&M
