HELUKABEL Launches New Robotic PROFINET Cable

June 11, 2019

HELUKABEL, a global manufacturer and supplier of cable, wires and accessories, recently announced that it’s added a new PROFINET cable to its broad portfolio of Industrial Ethernet cables – HELUKAT PROFINET Type R Torsion .

PROFINET standards have traditionally be divided into three classifications – Type A, B and C. However, a new type has recently been added, Type R, which is designated for robotic applications. In summary:

• Type A – solid conductor for fixed installation
• Type B – stranded conductor for some movement or areas exposed to vibrations
• Type C – stranded conductors for continuous-flex/permanently moving applications (i.e. drag chains)
• Type R – stranded conductors for robotic applications

As technology has changed to more automated equipment in industrial applications, customers are shifting from using systems that use PROFIBUS protocol to ones that use PROFINET due to the increased data transmission rates required to maintain operational efficiency in real-time.

Furthermore, dynamic requirements – acceleration, speed, etc. – have increased and created more mechanical stress and electromagnetic interference (EMI). Increased EMI is a byproduct of robot density, i.e. more robots in the same production cell, and the higher speeds because in order to produce the required acceleration, the motors need more power/torque. Additionally, EMI can be found in the application where the robot is used, e.g. a painting or handling robot experiences a lower EMI load than a welding robot, since the welding process generates a certain level of EMI.

HELUKAT PROFINET Type R Torsion is rated Category 5e and offers excellent transmission characteristics in EMI-heavy environments due to its double-shielding design that is suited for robotic applications that undergo continuous torsion loads. It has been tested to withstand more than five million torsion cycles under loads of +/-180°/m, and more than five million flexing cycles in a drag chain at acceleration rates of two Gs (20 m/s2) and a maximum speed of 11 mph (300 m/min). It can be used in environments that vary in temperature between -40°F and +176°F (-40°C – +80°C). The PUR jacket is flame retardant and halogen-free according to IEC 60332-1-2 and 60754-1, respectively. Additionally, the HELUKAT PROFINET Type R Torsion is UL recognized under AWM Style 21161 80°C, and meets the standards according to ISO/IEC 11801, and EN 50173.

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