Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) –
a megatrend in industrial data transmission

More and more sensors are being integrated into machines and systems, making networking increasingly complex. Similar requirements, such as the need for constantly increasing amounts of data, have also affected the automotive industry due to the expansion of assistance systems.
SPE has already established itself as a communication structure in this sector. The same requirements exist in industrial applications, so taking a closer look at SPE technology for this application was a logical step. SPE has the special advantage of requiring only one pair of wires.
With transmission rates of 10 Mbit/s with a transmission length of up to 1,000 metres to 1 Gbit/s with a transmission length of 40 metres, SPE is perfectly adequate even for sophisticated sensor technology.

Save time and money with SPE

The different areas of application for SPE impose different requirements on the physical installation. This has resulted in a series of standards for cabling and interfaces. For this purpose, the technology leader Weidmüller offers a practical portfolio of connectors for both IP20 and IP67/M8 applications based on the IEC 63171-2 and IEC 63171-5 standards. With SPE technology, users save costs and time when implementing their sensors up to the highest control levels, as SPE is based on consistent IP-based communication with a uniform protocol standard. This means that no gateways are required for implementation on other fieldbus protocols.

Uniform mating face for
IP20 and IP65/67 connectors

Weidmüller has implemented connectors for the IP20 environment and for the IP67 environment. Particularly user-friendly connectors have been developed for cross-sections in the AWG 26 toAWG 22 range, which can be implemented both as patch cables and as freely configurable variations. With a pitch of 7.62 millimetres, the very compact IP20 connector is just half the size of an RJ45 connector. This means that two Single Pair Ethernet ports can be installed in the space occupied by an RJ45 PCB connector, doubling the port density. The significantly more compact IP20 device interfaces for Single Pair Ethernet can in turn be used to develop correspondingly more compact devices. The IP20 and IP65/67 connectors have a uniform mating face. This way, an IP20 patch cable fits into an M8 or M12 connection without an adapter. By inserting M8 and M12 housings with standard screw connections, existing housing contours can also continue to be used. This makes it easier to change from other systems such as broadband Ethernet or Profinet. Another advantage of SPE is the possibility of supplying power to the connected peripherals via Power over Data Line (PoDL). PoDL makes up to 60 W of power available to the PSE (Power Source Equipment). This allows the sensors to be supplied both with power and with a data interface. An additional, separate supply line is not required.