Connectors for Robotics Product Roundup

This week’s Product Roundup highlights connectors for robotics from leading connector manufacturers and suppliers.

Connectors for Robotics

Lutronic Series cordsets from Lumberg are actuator/sensor cabling solutions with M8 and M12 connectors for automation. The M8 series includes 3-pole, 4-pole, 6-pole, and 8-pole types. Connected with PUR spiral cables, both straight and angled A-coded connectors lead to a socket. The M12 series has straight or angled versions available with shielding routed via the knurled nut. The shielded cables can be selected in PUR and PVC. Lutronic series cordsets are IP67-rated.

Adam Tech’s line of USB4 connectors and cables boasts speeds up to 40 Gb/s, making them the fastest USB products in the industry. Features include backwards compatibility with the speeds of USB 3.2 and 2.0 Type-C, two-lane operation with existing USB Type-C cables, multiple data and display protocols, and the ability to simultaneously transfer both audio and video over the same connection. These parts are available in a variety of options, including through hole or surface mount connectors, and coaxial or twisted-pair cables. They are USB-IF certified, UL-recognized, and RoHS-compliant.

I-PEX’s high-speed CABLINE-UY connector has a compact design specifically engineered to navigate through small openings and tight spaces. The CABLINE-UY connector features the smallest form-factor in the CABLINE series and offers the same signal integrity as the other connectors in the series. It is an ideal solution for applications that require high-speed cables to be routed through small gaps around hinges. It features a maximum mating height of 0.76 mm; nominal mating width of 3.9 mm (5-pin), 5.65 mm (10-pin), 6.35 mm (12-pin); data transmission up to 32 Gb/s (16 GHz), and a wide operating temperature (-40 °C to +85 °C).

The Anderson Power SB Connector Series has set the standard for battery connections and DC power distribution since 1953. Designed for reliability and durability, all SB connectors feature a rugged one-piece plastic housing that uses stainless steel springs to retain the contacts. This “contact force” enables greater electrical efficiency. Supporting amperage ranges from 50 to 500 Amps and is UL rated to 600 Volts. SB connectors offer color-coded housings that are mechanically keyed to prevent accidental cross-mating and feature a genderless design that allows connectors to mate when one is flipped 180°. Contacts are traditionally silver-plated to minimize electrical resistance.

ITT Cannon’s Trident High-Speed connector solutions provide high-speed data transmission up to 56 Gb/s across the fully proven Trident series of industrial connectors. These harsh environment connectors, which are available in both circular and rectangular variants, deliver the reliable connectivity demanded by today’s data-intensive applications, such as camera systems and sensors in autonomous commercial vehicles. They feature data, power, and signal integrated in the same connector. Trident High-Speed connectors deliver a fully customizable connector solution. Single-pair Ethernet (SPE) and coax combined with Trident signal and power contacts enables a true hybrid solution tailored to meet specific requirements. With proven harsh environment capability and up to IP67 sealing for protection against dust and water ingress, Trident High Speed is ideal for agricultural robotics applications.

Phoenix Contact’s M23 hybrid connectors simplify design with a one-cable solution. The M23 Hybrid connectors provide power, signal, and data in one convenient form factor. With 30 A per contact, up to 850 V DC, and CAT5 compatibility, this connector can provide all power, feedback signals, and diagnostic information needed for motor and wheel drive applications. The connector has IP67-rated variable mounting interfaces and reduces the number of components and the required mounting space.

For demanding robotic applications, Amphenol LTW’s X-Lok interconnect solutions feature a secure push-lock mechanism designed to withstand the continuous vibration and occasional shock associated with robotic motion and industrial operations. They also provide reliable connectivity for real-time communication among controllers, sensors, vision systems, and other critical robotic components. When designing a new robotic system, consider the total cost of ownership, not just the initial connector cost. Durability, ease of maintenance, and field-installable options can significantly improve long-term reliability, minimize downtime, and simplify servicing.

Greenconn’s GB Series wire-to-board connectors are designed to deliver secure and space-efficient internal connections for robotic and automation systems. Offered in 1.25 mm and 2.00 mm pitches, the series incorporates positive locking features on both the connector housing and crimp terminals to maintain reliable mating in vibration-intensive environments. A terminal protection structure improves assembly robustness, while multiple circuit options provide design flexibility for control boards, sensor interfaces, servo modules, and compact power and signal distribution applications.

Amphenol Conec’s 17-Series from CDM offers IP67 RJ45 connectors specifically built for harsh-environment, high-vibration niches that industrial robots operate in. Modern robotic vision systems (for pick-and-place, quality inspection) require the significant bandwidth that Amphenol Conec’s 6A versions provide, while keeping the IP67 seal for wash-down or operation in dusty cells. The full metal or metallized-plastic housing options give EMI/RFI shielding and mechanical robustness. Plastic-bodied versions are available in different colors for coding that helps technicians visually distinguish Ethernet runs from power/signal interconnection on a robot with many cable routes. The field-terminated versions are important for use with autonomous mobile robots that need Ethernet cables terminated or re-terminated because of harness damage from wheel/frame movement.

MICRO-D connectors from NorComp, an EDAC Group company, are designed for compact robotics and motion control applications. They are available in several contact counts and mounting styles with matching backshells for cable protection and shielding.

Modern robotics demand connectors that simultaneously deliver resistance to vibration and shock, as well as secure, reliable data transfer speeds. Rather than forcing a compromise between rugged performance and high speeds, ept’s Zero8 0.8mm pitch connector series delivers both. A Zero8 connector’s unique double-sided design provides exceptional mechanical stability and contact reliability, while the connector geometry is optimized to support data rates of 16+ Gb/s. Optional shielding helps protect Zero8 connections from outside interference or “crosstalk” from nearby components and neighboring electrical systems. Along with ept’s One27 1.27 mm SMT connectors for rugged lower-speed connections, and our Colibri 0.5 mm pitch SMT connectors with up to 25+ Gb/s data speeds, ept provides solutions across the span of needs for robotics architectures.

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