A Standardized Plug System for PROFINET over SPE

With its range of technologies, PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) stands for numerous innovations and cross-manufacturer interoperability – starting with the connectivity of plugs and cables. This has already been achieved today with two- and four-wire Ethernet cabling, but now the success story continues with Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) – a plug connector for industrial automation. This brings clarity, certainty and unambiguity to a long-awaited topic. This is an important milestone that helps miniaturization take a decisive step forward with the help of SPE.

The new harmonized SPE connector system with its future-oriented design has been implemented on the basis of crucial application requirements and is now being submitted for international standardization. It offers a standardized connection surface for applications in the control cabinet, in the field and also for hybrid installations, thus creating THE connection element and paving the way for a universal SPE standard. For the industry, this new generation is a further step into the future. Many manufacturers have announced that they will start their plans for implementation in the near future.

Standardization work on other levels of SPE communication – such as an energy concept – is also currently underway so that a consistent SPE solution can be achieved across all layers.

It will be possible to implement this solution for all SPE applications using international standards, even at higher speeds and independently of PROFINET over SPE. Thanks to PI, its committed members and many PROFINET supporters worldwide, automation becomes more manageable and easier to handle for both users and manufacturers. Whether one, two or four pairs of wires (copper) or over a wireless LAN or fiber optic, PROFINET is – and will remain – the global market leader in industrial communication and a guarantee for quality, interoperability and future-oriented technologies.