Ultra-flexible, torsion-resistant industrial ethernet cable by LAPP Group

Based in Stuttgart, the Lapp Group is using this year’s Hannover Messe to unveil its first ever ultra-flexible, torsion-resistant industrial Ethernet cables that enable the transfer of data at speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s. The new ETHERLINE® Cat. 6A is ideal for use in applications such as wind turbine facilities, robotics and moving mechanical parts. As production processes become faster, the new cabling is the optimal solution for customers looking to transfer large quantities of data as quickly as possible.

Ethernet has been the established standard in office communications systems for some time. Increased demands in terms of transfer speeds and data rates mean that the Ethernet protocol is now being used more and more in automation alongside bus technology. In the past, however, the market has only offered stiff or flexible cables with the characteristics and electric performance of Cat. 6A, according to ISO/IEC 11801, EN 50288-2-2, IEC 61156-1, IEC 61156-6 and DIN EN 50173-1 standards (i.e. with a data transfer rate of up to 10 Gbit/s). At the same time, ultra-flexible cables were only able to offer transfer rates of up to 1 Gbit/s.
The new ETHERLINE® Cat. 6A, on the other hand, is incredibly flexible and delivers data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s. One of the major development challenges was finding a solution for both the screening of individual twisted pairs and the overall screening that would be sufficiently hard-wearing to withstand the unique strains placed on cables that are constantly in motion.

ETHERLINE® Cat. 6A
Photo by U.L. Lapp GmbH

Over the course of several tests, a wrapping process was developed in which the film is run around the individual pairs at the optimum angle. A copper braid is used for the overall screening and is reinforced with a foil-laminated fleece. The high-quality screening ensures extremely reliable data transfer in areas where electromagnetism is a problem.

The Lapp Group has developed this new cable in response to customer demand for a solution that can be used in fields such as robotic monitoring and the inspection of manufactured products via camera systems. Two versions of the ETHERLINE® Cat. 6A are available. The first data cable is suitable for use in power chains with at least one million bending cycles, and the other is specially configured for high-torsion applications. Both cables conform to the PROFINET standard, are UV and flame resistant, and can be used in both dry and damp environments. Furthermore, the RJ45 and M12 x-coded connectors in the Lapp Group product range is suitable for Cat. 6A, meaning the company can now offer a complete system from connector to cable. To learn more, please visit the Lapp stand at Hannover Messe (Hall 11, Stand C03).

For more information, please visit: www.lappkabel.de

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