Harting says single pair Ethernet is key for the factory of the future
As the industrial internet of things (IIoT) is growing at a rapid pace, experts agree that single pair Ethernet (SPE) will be one of the key technologies that significantly shapes the success of the IIoT. This is based on the factory of the future requiring high data streams and the industrial sector needing connectivity which adapts itself to increasingly growing demands of the changing industrial automation environment. This is most effectively achieved via standards that are developed and advanced through partnerships in an open eco-system. Harting recognises this and has made the core element of the T1 industrial connector family an always-uniform SPE mating face that is used for all versions, from IP20 up to IP65/67.
Harting believes an interface standard to IEC 63171-6 will motivate real applications and that the SPE is pushing technology into the market that can transmit TCP/IP-based data streams via a single pair of wires.
This technique, which is being driven by the automotive industry, is increasingly gaining importance in automation technology, says Harting. Due to its simplicity and the associated reduction in weight, space requirements and installation effort, this technology has a great future within industry, automation technology and the rail industry.
SPE now makes it possible to bring continuous IP-based communication at the field level via Ethernet interfaces on simple sensors, cameras and reading/identification devices for an integrated IIoT for IP-based communication from the cloud down to every sensor.
Since the beginning of the year, an ISO/IEC international selection process has been in progress for cabling and the selection of standardised SPE mating faces, involving more than 20 national expert committees. Because of this selection, two mating faces have prevailed: for building wiring, the mating face according to IEC 63171-1, based on the proposal by CommScope and for industrial and industry applications, the mating face IEC 63171-6, based on the proposal by Harting.
The core element of the Harting T1 industrial connector family is an always-uniform SPE mating face that is used for all versions, from IP20 up to IP65/67. Harting has aligned its connector design accordingly and can achieve both 1Gbits per second for shorter distances and 10Mbits per second for long distances with a mutually compatible mating face.
