binder, a leading supplier of industrial circular connectors, offers pre-assembled, overmolded and already tested cables in the standardized M12 segment. Customers in industrial automation can use these to shorten installation time and avoid errors. Mandatory national and international standards ensure that products can be replaced quickly and easily.
User benefits thanks to standardization
M12 circular connectors are basic components of automation technology. Today, they are indispensable for the connection of sensors, actuators and other components in the field – both for signal and data transmission as well as for the power supply of devices. M12 connectors are suitable for various industrial networks such as CAN, Profibus or Profinet, depending on their respective coding.
Thanks to standardization, M12 connectivity solutions are compatible across manufacturers: DIN EN 61076-2 regulates geometric requirements, electrical characteristics, as well as application-related specifications for the products and prescribes testing requirements. For example, DIN EN 61076-2-101 regulates M12 connectors with codings A to D for signal transmission, fieldbus use, and Industrial Ethernet, respectively. DIN EN 61076-2-109 defines mandatory characteristics of industrial X-coded data connectors up to 10 Gbit/s, DIN EN IEC 61076-2-111 concerns S-, T-, K- and L-coded M12 power connectors.
Standardization eases the exchange of M12 components, makes users independent of individual suppliers, and – currently a red-hot aspect – helps prevent supply bottlenecks.
Save time, avoid mistakes
Sensors and actuators are used throughout industry to control process parameters such as temperature, pressure, position or vibrations. With advances in the field of digitized production lines and smart factories, as well as in applications for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, the number of sensors and actuators in the field is increasing rapidly. The need for industrial-grade, robust connectivity solutions to interface signal, data and power cables with field devices is growing at the same rate.
Since the focus of all installations is on cost-effectiveness, the simple and fast handling of the connection technology is of enormous importance. The use of pre-assembled, overmolded and already tested cables offers a particular advantage. Such cables eliminate the need for time-consuming and error-prone single-core wiring, thus considerably reducing the installation and cabling effort and helping implement efficient plug&play or plug&work concepts.
Ready-to-connect cables
The binder portfolio of ready-to-connect cables in the M12 segment includes a large number of connector types with different codings. Designed with 3 to 12 pins, straight and angled products – molded on one or both sides – are available in various cable qualities. In addition to the M12 size, binder offers further ready-to-connect products, for example for the smaller and also standardized M8 form factor.