When it comes to connecting automated equipment, industrial network designers have a lot to worry about. As production equipment connects to the rest of the enterprise and to the Cloud, the list of challenges grows longer. It includes demands for higher data transmission speeds, managing a complexity of protocols, establishing real-time communication and running bulky cables long distances across the factory floor. On top of these challenges, cables must be able to endure harsh conditions without fail.
Single-Pair Ethernet (SPE) promises to solve many of these problems that have traditionally strained industrial networks in the growing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The cables use a single twisted pair of conductors for data exchange, providing high-bandwidth data transmission and deterministic communication critical to industrial automation. This technology is expected to replace fieldbus protocols with a common Ethernet communications standard to handle industrial networking’s future demands.
In keeping with these developments, we developed UL-approved SPE cables for automated machinery applications. As part of our CATLine family, these cables are designed to provide safe and reliable data transmission in challenging industrial conditions. The CATLine SPE offering includes two cables that can handle repetitive motion in automated machinery: the CATLine SPE C-Track for cable tracks and chains, and the CATLine SPE Robot for robotic systems. The cables deliver all the benefits of single-pair Ethernet cable technology to the factory floor, such as:
- High bandwidth: CATLine SPE cables offer bandwidths from 1 to 600 MHz.
- Small size: C-Track and Robot cables have an outer diameter (OD) of 0.209 inches and 26 AWG gauge size.
- Lightweight. Cables weigh 25 pounds per thousand feet.
Designed For Tough Environments
These cables exhibit exceptional durability thanks to special polymer insulation, polyurethane jacketing and SABIX® inner jacketing. These materials mean you’ll get all the protective features you can expect from CATLine cables, such as:
- Mechanical stress resistance with bend radii of 5 × OD fixed, 10 × OD flexible and 15 × OD continuous flex.
- Halogen-free, meeting IEC 60754-1 and VDE 0482754-01 requirements.
- Oil resistance, meeting EN and VDE requirements.
- Resists contamination from chemicals and cleaning agents.
- Good electrical characteristics, including a UL voltage rating of 300V and a peak operating voltage of 90V. They have 100Ω ± 10Ω impedance rating and meet the CD IEC 61156-12 ED1 high frequency requirement.
In addition to cables for automation, our CATLine also includes an industrial single-pair Ethernet cable — the CATLine SPE HT — that performs in temperatures up to 180°C.
Stay Ahead of Data Demands
Single-pair Ethernet technology is poised to enable a digital revolution in factories as the IIoT places greater data demands on cable connections. At SAB, we responded with CATLine cables that deliver the high bandwidth that automated equipment with moving parts will need to exchange larger volumes of data faster. The result: smarter, more efficient production without worrying about increasing data demands.
For more information about our CATLine of industrial cables, including single-pair Ethernet cables for automated equipment, download our brochure.