CAT 6A cables: Are you ready for Industry 4.0?

Factory processes have had to continually evolve to keep up with changing customer demands and evolving trends. 

Traditionally, fieldbus protocols transferred data between machine controls and the device to control machinery. Sensors and encoders fed back some information. This is changing with Industry 4.0. The term was coined to describe the future intelligent, interconnected factory. The factory of the future will combine software, sensors, processors, wireless connections and the Internet to create a system that can intercommunicate in real time as different products move down the production line. There are several changes in Industry 4.0 that are shaping the trends seen in cable development. 

Increased interconnection

The increased interconnection between – and sophistication of – machines has created a demand for cables with the capacity to carry more data, and at greater speeds. Modern facilities have sophisticated sensors and machine control technology, leading to more data traffic than would be seen in older plants. High performance cables are needed that can handle the higher data volumes. 

Flexibility

As customers demand more customisation, production lines need to be more flexible to allow manufacturers to create different products without changing the basic set up. Machinery often moves with or around products, requiring flexible, robust cables to power and control them. 

Feedback

Manufacturers are demanding real time monitoring and analysis to generate feedback for operators and plant managers. Self monitoring of machinery helps operators replace machine parts before they break down, which stops production at a high cost to the company. Self monitoring also prevents operators wasting money replacing parts before they’re worn out. When replacing parts, operators traditionally had to stop production completely when in a dangerous area. More sophisticated sensors and control technology now mean the production can be slowed to a safe speed rather than being stopped entirely. 

All of these trends have helped to improve production, but have also created a demand for industrial Ethernet cables that can carry the increased data volume. CAT 5e Ethernet and bus technologies are no longer sufficient for many operators’ needs. For applications requiring high data rates in drag chain applications, CAT 6A industrial Ethernet cables are being used more and more. For example, high speed cameras or high resolution 3D scanners move with or around a product, requiring cable support to operate smoothly. 

New CAT 6A industrial Ethernet cables can provide frequencies up to 500 MHz and are suitable for 10 Gigabit Ethernet, making them suitable for the increasingly demanding data needs of industry. As factories become more interconnected, reduction in crosstalk and system noise has become more important. CAT 6A cables are shielded against this interference. In addition to Industry 4.0 applications, CAT 6A cables are suitable for machine-to-machine intercommunication and Internet of Things applications. 

In a new benchmark for CAT 6A industrial Ethernet, Nexans has developed a cable that meets all of the technical specifications required for an Ethernet cable, and can withstand strenuous repetitive movement and an extremely small bending radius. Three million cycles at a bending radius 10 times its diameter is a new benchmark for CAT 6A industrial Ethernet. 

Nexans’ Motionline CAT 6A cable has been rigorously tested at Nexans’ Motion Application Centre (MAC) in Nuremberg, Germany. Cables can be exposed to dynamic operating loads that imitate real life conditions, ensuring the cables can stand up to bending, tension, torsional strength and vibration. The testing provides clear proof that the cable will perform up to standard throughout its lifetime. 

CAT 6A cables have been developed in response to the trends in the industry. They are capable of carrying large amounts of data, while withstanding strenuous repetitive movements. As more factories move towards Industry 4.0, industrial Ethernet cables are ready for the changes in industry.