Game-changer for Industry 4.0: SPE-M12 hybrid interfaces will significantly expand the industrial application possibilities of SPE technology. TE Connectivity is expected to launch SPE-M12 hybrid interfaces later this year as part of the new IEC 63171-7 standard, offering the reliability, durability and safety required in harsh industrial environments. The technology enables the transmission of higher power levels in production equipment and is a promising option for robotic systems as well as servo and AC drives.
TE has been driving standardization as a founding member of the SPE Industrial Partner Network. Adopted in May 2023, the IEC 63171-7 standard has met with widespread approval and has already been implemented by trade associations and companies worldwide. IEC 63171-7 specifies hybrid interfaces with SPE and power contacts in M12 format - both screw-locking and push-pull quick-locking. The standard applies to shielded, free and fixed circular connectors for power and data transmission. SPE-M12 hybrid interfaces fit almost seamlessly into existing Ethernet infrastructures and enable simple plug-and-play connections. Separate pins for data and power transmission contribute to higher performance.
The new hybrid connector standard is an evolution of IEC 63171-6, which defines M8 hybrid connectors but does not consider the M12 industry standard used in IP65 and IP67 environments. IEC 63171-7 now considers SPE-M12 hybrid connectors for different applications with power classes from 8 A to 16 A and from 50 V to 600 V. While previous concepts with Power over Data Line (PoDL) are limited to 50 W, SPE-M12 hybrid connectors support high power devices up to 11 kW and 16 A. In addition, the hybrid configuration of the IEC 63171-7 standard offers greater flexibility in network-based power distribution than a point-to-point connection such as PoDL. This makes it possible to distribute higher amperages to multiple cascaded power devices.
More about the new SPE-M12 hybrid interfaces: click here.
And here you get more information about the new SPE standard.
