Electrical connectors are used across industries to facilitate secure connections to different electrical circuits and sensors. Recently, TE Connectivity, a global connector and sensor supplier, expanded its line of network connectors to include a single-pair Ethernet (SPE) connector. The new connectors not only include SPE connections but also high-current connections for both data and power transmission.
TE Connectivity’s SPE-M12 hybrid connectors transmit data and power from a single cable. Image used courtesy of TE Connectivity
SPE-M12 Hybrid Industrial Connectors
SPE is a fairly new technology that transmits high-speed data along two twisted pairs of conductors. TE’s new SPE-M12 hybrid connector is a round connector with six pins: two dedicated to SPE and the other four for power connections up to 1 kW.
The connectors can be installed on manufactured cables and are available up to 15 m in length with connectors on both ends or with pigtails. The connectors feature an IP67 protection, which allows them to be installed in harsh conditions. The power pins can be used to power equipment on two individual circuits, drawing up to 8 A on each pair of pins.
The SPE-M12 hybrid connectors feature two pins for SPE and four pins for power connections. Image used courtesy of TE Connectivity
The Benefits of SPE
Standard Ethernet communication cables use up to eight conductors, in four twisted pairs, and for nearly half a century, this configuration has worked quite well. SPE, on the other hand, uses a single twisted pair of conductors to transmit information.
In some applications, such as end-effectors for robots, space to run cables is limited; in this application, the SPE technology could be a viable option to save space and reduce the number of wires. Large processing plants will often have long distances between field sensors, such as temperature or pressure sensors. Using SPE instead of standard Ethernet could save money on additional hardware.
SPE technology is widely used for communications across industrial and process industries to save on cost and space. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock
Meeting Modern Automation Demands
Industrial automation can be hard to adopt new technologies, especially when it requires changing the infrastructure that is used in many devices. The standard RJ45 connector has become an industry standard with communication devices in automation. Flipping the script and moving to SPE would require sourcing devices that support this technology, and not all suppliers do. With TE Connectivity’s new connector, designers are able to utilize SPE technology for its benefits without sacrificing time searching for cable options.
