Ask the Expert - Industrial Ethernet Connectors

In our latest Ask the Expert interview, I am joined by Peter Swift of Amphenol. We talk about the newest connectors on the block: Single Pair Ethernet and iX Industrial.

We also discuss the limitations of the RJ family of connectors, especially in the industrial environment. Peter then went on to explain how iX and SPE are working hand-in-hand with existing connectors and cabling. The plug-and-play nature of these new connectors allows customers to add to their network as they need without the need for replacing existing equipment.

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The adoption of new connectors is generally a slow process. Customers often invest heavily in a connector solution and have considerable amounts of existing equipment that uses it. This is especially true for common applications such as Ethernet.

For many years, the Ethernet market has been dominated by the RJ family of connectors. Designed originally as a telephone connector, the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the RS series have made it ideal for networking. It is now widely adopted across all industries as the most popular solution for Ethernet in sheltered environments.

The industrial world has long seen the advantages of using Ethernet in smart factories. All components of the smart factory form part of the same network, from the highest-level business planning tools all the way down to individual sensors and actuators on the factory floor. The problem has always been related to “the last metre.” The array of different communications protocols used for automation and control equipment has always proved problematic for the installer.

If a single connector and communications protocol would be used, the tasks of installing, maintaining and operating all of the elements of the factory would be significantly simplified. Ethernet is an ideal solution, but the popular connector choices present a number of challenges.

As Ethernet has become more widely adopted in the more demanding environment of the factory, the RJ family has started to show its limitations. The straight design of the RJ family with as many as 8 contacts arranged in a line is not ideal for the high data rates needed for today’s high-speed connections. As originally designed, the RJ connector is also unshielded, leaving it vulnerable to interference in the increasingly noisy of the factory environment.

A factory floor is also an unforgiving place for sensitive electronics or delicate components. Conditions include shock and vibration, extremes of temperature, and the danger of water and other contaminants. Installers must have access to connectors that are designed to deliver reliable performance in this harsh environment.

New Solutions

Despite these challenges, the benefits of using Ethernet connectivity at all levels of the smart factory makes them worth pursuing. Over the last few years, two new connector types have emerged to help solve these challenges – the iX Industrial (iX) and Single Pair Ethernet (SPE).

Both connector types have been designed specifically to cope with the demanding conditions of the factory floor. Installers are often reluctant to adopt new types, not least because of the investment that they have made in their infrastructure. However, both SPE and iX are designed to integrate easily into existing networks, while simplifying installation.

iX is designed as an “RJ alternative” for use in industrial environments. Smaller than existing RJ connectors and designed from the outset as a high-speed connector with shielding, it offers significant space-saving opportunities while retaining the same plug-and-play functionality of traditional Ethernet networks.

SPE is a little different, as it has been designed to provide the connection for the last metre that allows sensors and actuators to be integrated into the Ethernet network without the need for conversion or bridges.