Profinet cables – Why?
igu-blog-adm | 18. March 2020
In principle very simple: because Profinet cables are the right cables!
“Right” describes, as with any bus cable, the electrical properties, i.e. characteristic wave impedance, capacitances, number of cores and conductor nominal cross section, shields with position and design. But you can also choose the colour of the core insulation, jacket colour and much more.
The Profinet user organisation for companies such as Siemens, BASF or Balluff provides all kinds of key data for the cables and makes this data available to members such as igus to ensure secure data transmission for the user, so that the quality standard of the entire system is maintained and all components are compatible.
Normal cables can work – but not necessarily!
Customers often ask whether a normal data cable does not also work. This can work out well, but it doesn’t have to. With short transmission lengths it is often possible without difficulties, but with increasing cable length the deviations become too large and the problem arises that the electrical data is neither specified nor monitored with simple data cables. A reproducible result is impossible.
… but Profinet cables are always Profinet cables, aren’t they?
Unfortunately not! The user organisation provides key electrical data and also some mechanical data, but not all. The minimum must be observed by everyone, so to speak. If the cable is moving, the cores must remain in place for as long as possible. In chainflex, we distinguish between 9 different movement ranges and always offer a solution for the customer application. This leads to a clear description of the basic conditions and the mechanical service life of the cable becomes predictable.
All further information on Profinet, the various application scenarios and direct ordering and testing options can be found at the following URL: https://www.igus.eu/info/unharnessed-cables-profinet?L=en.