Connecting IIoT!

Harting has developed a number of innovative, targeted connectivity solutions for the IIoT world of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

The fourth Industrial Revolution is witnessing the ever-advancing convergence of the physical with the digital world. The drive to generate added value from data acquired from machines has seen a rapid rise in the number of sensors and actuators. As a result, networking in machines and systems and the attendant number of connections is increasing in leaps and bounds. In the future, every machine and every component in factory halls will exchange large amounts of information and data.

Infrastructure adapts to new demands in order to ensure that it remains compatible for the coming IIoT revolution and that the demand for ever more intelligent sensors can be met. Devices are getting smaller and smarter, and connectors are developing in step with this trend. Harting started the process of standardising new interface standards with the ix Industrial® Ethernet connector concept in 2016, and today this device is a market-available connector that enables device manufacturers to design their products up to 40% smaller.

In order to manufacture devices efficiently, connectivity must support an optimal manufacturing process. SMT/SMD surface-mount assembly technology for all interfaces is required to achieve efficient production. In order to further support automated production, Harting now supplies printed circuit board sockets on rolls in which device sockets are accommodated in a way that is compatible with use in pick & place equipment. Subsequent handling of the interfaces on the devices is also geared towards performance. Cutting assembly time while simultaneously simplifying and improving operation is one of the indispensable cornerstones of a modern interface.

The PushPull locking technique represents a very significant aspect here, since previous interlocks such as screw technology are no longer adequate for ever shrinking connections. As a result, the handling aspect of connectivity is assuming increasing importance. Harting PushPull technology increases operating safety and efficiency during use.

In order to also make the power-supply component of devices simultaneously smaller yet more powerful, Harting is enhancing its M12 Power series by adding the standardised K coding for power supply use. Offering 7.5 kW at 630 V and 16 A, the device interface provides enough power for compact yet powerful drives and represents a future space-saving alternative to 7/8-inch solutions, while also keeping in step with the miniaturisation trend.

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