How to Meet Industry 4.0 High Density and Robust Connectivity Requirements

The need for high-density, fast and reliable Ethernet connectivity is growing in Industry 4.0 applications like robotics, machine vision, controllers, servo amplifiers, and servers. Ethernet connections in Industry 4.0 devices need to support communications speeds up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbits/s), be protected from electromagnetic interference (EMI), provide secure mating and locking mechanisms to prevent unintended cable removal, be able to withstand high vibration conditions, and have long mating/unmating lives. These connectors must be compact enough to support the increasing interconnect and system densities of Industry 4.0 applications.

While legacy RJ45 Ethernet connectors can satisfy some of these requirements, they are relatively bulky and do not provide the installation flexibility required for today’s designs.

To meet these challenges, designers can instead turn to ix industrial connectors for high-speed Ethernet cables, including Cat5e (1 Gbit/s) and Cat6a (10 Gbit/s). These connectors are 75% smaller than RJ45 connectors, provide high levels of EMI protection and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) for secure data transmissions, and comply with IEC 61076-3-124 requirements.

This article begins with a comparison of RJ45 and ix industrial connector options. It then looks at type A and type B ix connectors for Ethernet and non-Ethernet connectivity, and reviews the variety of configuration options available for ix connectors, along with some representative connectors from Hirose. It closes by presenting tools for the assembly and testing of ix cables to ensure correct implementation.

RJ45 versus ix connectors

Many Industry 4.0 applications need modular connectivity for rapid deployment and reconfiguration. These systems often combine legacy equipment with new designs. They use high-speed industrial Ethernet and other protocols that require interoperability and high availability. So-called registered jack (RJ) connectors are common in legacy equipment, with eight-pin, eight-contact (8P8C) RJ45 connectors for basic Ethernet connectivity.

Emerging Industry 4.0 systems require increases in interconnect densities and flexibility. In addition to being 75% smaller than RJ45 solutions, ix connectors enable parallel 10-millimeter (mm) pitch mounting, and six ix connectors can fit into the same printed circuit board (pc board) space as three RJ45 connectors (Figure 1).

Image of six ix connectors can fit into the same printed circuit board (pc board) space as three RJ45 connectors

Figure 1: Their 10 mm mounting pitch allows six ix connectors to fit into the same pc board space as three RJ45 connectors. (Image source: Hirose)

Rugged & robust

IEC 61076-3-124 provides the specifications for the dimensions, mechanical, electrical, transmission characteristics, and environmental requirements for ix connectors. The ix connectors from Hirose go beyond IEC 61076-3-124 and meet the requirements of JIS E4031, the Japanese industrial standard for shock and vibration testing of railroad rolling stock equipment. They also meet the GigE Vision camera interface standard that supports the use of Gigabit Ethernet for fast image transfer using very long and low-cost standard cables. Their high-current contacts support the use of power over Ethernet (PoE) and PoE+ applications as specified in IEEE 802.3af and IEEE 802.3at.

The ix connector system was designed with industrial applications in mind from the outset, while the RJ45 connector was initially developed for use with consumer and business telecommunications equipment and has been adapted for use in industrial settings. For example, ix connectors have two snap-in locking hooks made of metal that provide both haptic and audible feedback to confirm a secure connection between the plug and socket. Industrial RJ45 connectors have a single locking hook.

The shell design of ix connector sockets provide mechanical ruggedness and enhances EMC performance. These sockets have five through-hole retention tabs, two on each side and one in the rear between the two sets of signal contacts, while RJ45 connectors have only three tabs. The tabs on ix connector sockets are also more robust compared with the tabs on RJ45 sockets. When soldered to the pc board, the ix socket tabs protect the signal contacts from stress when a plug is mated or unmated. They also increase the ability of the socket to withstand shock and vibration. The soldered tabs connect directly to ground on the pc board, enhancing EMI protection (Figure 2).

Image of five through-hole tabs on the socket protect the signal contacts

Figure 2: Five through-hole tabs on the socket protect the signal contacts, enhance shock and vibration performance, and improve the EMC performance of ix connectors. (Image source: Hirose)

The use of modular and reconfigurable systems is changing the expectations for connector performance. Connectors are no longer left in place for the lifetime of an installation. Production stations, tools, and other system components need the ability to be rearranged frequently to support the mass customization that’s a defining characteristic of Industry 4.0. As a result, a connector may be plugged and unplugged hundreds or thousands of times over its lifetime. Hirose’s ix connectors are designed and tested to 5,000 mating cycles and still meet all the performance requirements of IEC 61076-3-124.

Non-Ethernet connections

IEC 61076-3-124 supports Ethernet and non-Ethernet connectivity. To prevent misconnections, separate mechanical coding schemes labeled ‘A’ and ‘B’ are used for Ethernet and non-Ethernet ix connectors, respectively (Figure 3):

‘A’ type ix connectors are capable of handling transmission rates up to 10 Gbits/s. They can support PoE and PoE+, and are identifiable by a 45° polarization chamfer on the lower left corner of the socket.

‘B’ type ix connectors are designed for use in all non-Ethernet applications, such as signaling and various serial and other industrial communications protocols. They can be identified by a 45° chamfer located on the upper left corner of the socket.

Image of ix connectors are available with two mechanical coding designs

Figure 3: ix connectors are available with two mechanical coding designs to prevent inserting an Ethernet plug into a non-Ethernet socket and vice versa. (Image source: Hirose)

Integration flexibility

These connectors also enhance the flexibility of system integration. Cables can be connected to ix connector sockets by soldering or using insulation displacement connections (IDC). Solder connections can speed the production of cable assemblies in a factory environment. IDC connections are often used to produce cable assemblies in the field and can reduce installation time by up to 50% due to the reduction in wire stripping, twisting, and soldering. There are four corresponding connector families, identified as 30, 31, 32, and 40. The first three support different IDC cable sizes, with the fourth being used for solder connections:

30: IDC using wire sizes 26 to 28 American wire gauge (AWG), with an insulator outer diameter ranging from 0.95 to 1.05 mm

31: IDC using wire sizes 24 to 25 AWG, with an insulator outer diameter ranging from 1.1 to 1.25 mm

32: IDC using 22 AWG wire, with an insulator outer diameter ranging from 1.4 to 1.6 mm

40: Hand soldered

Hirose also offers ix connectors with three receptacle configurations and three plug configurations to suit specific application needs (Figure 4). Receptacle configurations include:

Upright right angle that can be mounted in parallel with a pitch distance of 10 mm to save pc board space in high-density systems

Vertical type allows the connector to be mated from the top

The low profile right angle receptacle is 5.7 mm high, less than half the height of an RJ45 connector

Plug configurations include:

Straight cabling

Right angle upward cabling

Right angle downward cabling

Image of receptacles are available in three styles

Figure 4: Receptacles are available in three styles; a different style is shown on each of the three circuit boards. Each circuit board includes the three styles of ix connector plugs. (Image source: Hirose)

ix connector examples

In addition to the configurations and options detailed above, Hirose offers designers a selection of gold plating or palladium-nickel plating plus gold plating on the contact surfaces. Examples of the dozens of ix connectors from Hirose include:

IX80G-B-10P(01), Type B vertical receptacle with 0.75 micrometers (μm) of palladium-nickel plus 0.05 μm of gold plating

IX80G-A-10P(01), Type A vertical receptacle with 0.75 μm of palladium-nickel plus 0.05 μm of gold plating

IX61G-B-10P, Type B upward right-angle receptacle with 0.2 μm gold plating

IX60G-A-10P, Type A right angle receptacle with 0.2 μm gold plating

IX31G-A-10S-CV(7.0), Type A straight plug with 0.2 μm gold plating

IX30G-A-10S-CVL2(7.0), Type A right angle upward plug with 0.2 μm gold plating

IX30G-B-10S-CVL1(7.0), Type B right angle down plug with 0.2 μm gold plating

Field assembly

High availability is required in industrial Ethernet applications, and field assembly of cabling can be an important consideration. It can speed the installation of equipment, especially in modular architectures to facilitate the rapid replacement of cable assemblies that have become worn or damaged. To address the need for field assembly, Hirose offers the HT803/IXG-8/10S-63-72 cable assembly tool that can be used with IX30G, IX31G, and IX32G IDC ix connectors (Figure 5). It’s a combined tool for crimping the cable and plug together and swaging the protective housing onto the assembly. In the case of IX40G soldered connectors, it’s only used for swaging.

Image of hand tool enables in-field fabrication of ix cable assemblies

Figure 5: This hand tool enables in-field fabrication of ix cable assemblies. (Image source: Hirose Electric)

This cable assembly tool is designed to work with shielded cables from 22 to 28 AWG with seven-stranded annealed copper wires with an outside insulation diameter from 6.3 to 7.2 mm. Operation is quick and simple.

Crimping: Place the plug in the tool with the coding key facing up and insert the cable into the plug. Squeeze the handle to complete the crimping. The tool includes a ratchet mechanism to ensure that it does not open until sufficient pressure has been applied to produce a good, crimped connection. The ratchet automatically releases when the required pressure has been achieved.

Swaging: Place a shield shell and case into the tool (a special cutout is provided to ensure proper placement). As with the crimping process, place the plug into the tool with the coding key facing up. Squeeze the handle until the ratchet releases to complete the swaging.

Testing is important

There can be several reasons for testing Ethernet cables in the field. During initial deployment of equipment or replacement of existing cabling, testing can certify that the cable meets all performance requirements. Cable testing is also useful when troubleshooting installations to pinpoint the source of a problem. There can be numerous sources of failures in an Ethernet network, including failed connectors, cable or shield breaks, and increased susceptibility to EMI.

The DSX-CHA-5-IX-S from Hirose is a set of two adapters optimized to speed field testing of ix connectors and cable assemblies (Figure 6). It’s designed for use with DSX CableAnalyzer testers from Fluke Networks. Thorough testing to IEEE 802.3 specifications using these adapters can provide pass/fail results, along with extensive diagnostics to speed the identification of any problems.

Image of Fluke DSX-CHA-5-IX-S adapter set

Figure 6: The DSX-CHA-5-IX-S adapter set speeds the field testing of ix connectors and cable assemblies. (Image source: Fluke)

Conclusion

Designers can use ix connectors to support the need in Industry 4.0 systems for high density, robust connectivity. These connectors are available in Ethernet and non-Ethernet configurations, with various mechanical configurations available to support a range of system design needs. Solder connections can be used in high-volume production settings, while IDC models are available for making cable assemblies in the field. Tools and testers are also readily available to ensure that the resulting cable assemblies meet all the ix performance requirements.