Cables / Cable Assemblies / Connectors Questions & Answers

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With robot guidance as a large part of our machine vision applications I am looking to incorporate some of the latest technology in cabling. There is a new product available Cat6a High Flex (10million flex) cable (from Quabbin Wire and Cable, p/n: 5026) that supports PoE. There are also new M12, X-Coded connectors available from a large number of vendors (Conec, Harting, Phoenix, Metz, Lumberg, Molex, ...). For camera enclosures, there are bulkhead connectors (M12-Xcoded to RJ45) from several suppliers (Metz, Harting, ...). For cable segmentation, because cables may fail on the wrist of the robot, there are couplers available (M12-Xcoded F-F from Harting). Cablesets are available in lowflex (Lumberg, Molex, Harting, Phoenix, ...). Is there anyone assembling all of these together to finally give us an industrial cabling solution for PoE, GigE, high flex robot applications? I have spoken with Empire Wire and Cable. They are interested in packaging the overmolded connectors. What is missing is market demand to drive manufacturing of these cables - custom manufacturing a few at a time is too pricey. Is AIA interested in supporting this product? I have contacted Northwire and they were not interested in pursuing Cat6a flex cables, or M12 X-Coded connectors. I see this as a bottleneck in moving forward with a solid gigabit, PoE, robot guidance solution. The RJ-45 connectors are not preferred on a robot arm and RJ-45 couplers are awkward (would require a mounting bracket and method for strain releif).

Hello, I agreed with you that RJ-45 is not good for moving application at all. Why don't you contact Mr. Steve Mott, who is VP of sales at Components Express Inc. As I know, CEI is No.1 MV cable provider and very active, fast at custom development. Mr. Mott is the board member of AIA as well. You can send him email directly to smott@componentsexpress.com Regards,

Answered by:
Sungho Huh
Director of Technical Marketing
Envision Co., Ltd.
shhuh [at] envision [dot] co [dot] kr
82 2 2624 5560

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Camera Link exists as MDR and SDR terminations. I would like to get an adapter that converts either the MDR to SDR, or SDR to MDR, with the goal of stocking one cable type and adding the adapter to make the terminations match the application. Example: I have an MDR-MDR cable, and suddenly someone shows up with a SDR-equipped camera: Instead of buying and routing a whole new cable, I'd love to just convert the MDR to SDR. Note the worse case is if had an SDR framegrabber and SDR camera, I'd consume two adapters.

Yes, this is a question that comes up time to time regarding our RCX C-Link fiber optic Camera Link extenders. They have MDR connectors on them, but often times we need to connect them to cameras or framegrabbers with SDR connectors. For us it is fairly simple because it is usually a short cable that is needed and we stock the short MDR to SDR cables, but sometimes even the short cable adds too much bulk/length. In any event, I haven't found anybody who makes a small adapter for MDR to SDR. Maybe something akin to a gender changer, right? It's possible to design a small PCB with an MDR and SDR connector which could perform as an adapter, and I believe we had a customer do this. I don't know if anyone makes them commercially though, but some of our customers would definitely find them useful. The drawback I see is that the SDR connector is not as robust as the MDR connector, therefore having an adapter hanging off along with the cable/RCX C-Link might be a bit much for it to handle.

Answered by:
Cliff Hayes
Field Application Engineer
EDT
cliff [at] edt [dot] com
(503) 690-1234

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I would like to design in the 50-pin SDR connector to a new miniCL product, but I don't see any 50-pin SDR cable assemblies made by 3M or anyone else. I would like to know if anybody makes such a cable and if they might make a 50 pin SDR to dual 26 pin SDR breakout cable to support a medium/full CL device.

Hi Randall, I am the Business Manager with Intercon 1. We would be able to build the cable you are requesting. If you could send additional information such as overall length we could begin on working up a quote for you.

Answered by:
Ron Folkeringa
Business Manager
Intercon 1 - A Division of Nortech Systems, Inc.
rfolkeringa [at] nortechsys [dot] com
(218) 855-1510

Hello. I am sorry that I did not reply to you sooner. Connector SDR50P of an inquiry does not have what I also saw. What connector maker has not produced yet? If quantity is not extensive for developing the connector newly, probably a connector maker will not move. I know the several companies connector maker who develops. Although introducing is possible, how is it?

Answered by:
Manabu Inazaki
Hirakawa Hewtech Corp.
manabu [dot] inazaki [at] hewtech [dot] co [dot] jp
81 280 98 6001

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Does anyone know the name of a vendor(s) that makes a bulkhead (panel mount) receptacle to receptacle (female-female) connector? I talked to a 3m rep. and they don't know of one, but they can make a custom cable. Any help would be appreciated.

Ron, How many pins are you looking for and what configuration? Please give me a call or shoot me an email with a little more specifics and i will try to point you in the right direction. Cheers, William

Answered by:
William Corns
VP of Sales
Wilco Imaging, Inc.
wcorns [at] wilcoimaging [dot] com
858-699-2518

Hi Ron, We are specialized in Camera Link fiber adapters, repeaters and also provide cabling accessories for Camera Link applications. If you are looking for a bulkhead MDR26 receptacle to MDR26 receptacle for the panel on your chassis, I am not aware of any vendor who has this product off-the-shelf. However, you may be able to use a gender changing Camera Link cable with MDR26 plug at one end and MDR26 receptacle at the other end. The receptacle end will be able to mount on a panel with jacksocket screws. On the other side of the panel, you can plug in with a regular Camera Link cable. Hopefully, this would resolve your issue. Best regards Spencer Yang Phrontier Technologies www.phrontier-tech.com

Answered by:
Spencer Yang
Phrontier Technologies, LLC.
sales [at] phrontier-tech [dot] com
(866) 389-2829

Hi I'm Randall Henderson @ EDT Inc. We make various Camera Link component (Framegrabbers, siluators, long range adapters) and while we don't make what you're asking about, we have used a product from Carrio Cabling that I think would work for you. It's a compact F-F gender-changer that could probably be used in this to do what you ask just by using the mounting studs on one end to attach it to a bulkhead. I'm looking at one here that has part # 15255. Web site for the product is http://www.carriocabling.com/camera_link.html. Let me know if you have other questions.

Answered by:
Randall Henderson
Senior Software Engineer
EDT
randall [at] edt [dot] com
(503) 690-1234

Hello Ron, Intercon (www.intercon-1.com) manufactures and distributes cables for the machine vision industry. Intercon has built a number of variations of that type of cable. We have an established solution for Camera Link, We also have solutions for other datapaths as well. You can find our catalog of products at http://www.nortechsys.com/Uploads//pdf/Intercon%20Cable%20Assemblies.pdf Not all of our products are listed there, I have additional information I can send to you. Please let us know the specifics of your application and we would be happy to provide you a quote. Kind Regards, Ron

Answered by:
Ron Folkeringa
Business Manager
Intercon 1 - A Division of Nortech Systems, Inc.
rfolkeringa [at] nortechsys [dot] com
(218) 855-1510

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I'm looking for cable with this description: OKI Electrical Cable AWM 20276 60C 30V VW-1 Do you have a part number for this cable? Cable has 3 pair twisted wires 26AWG (or 28) & 5 cables (yellow, green,orange, red,brown) with 2 wires (red&black) 26AWG (or 28) and drain wire. Thank you.

Carlos, The cable you are looking for is from LTK a Belden company. However, if you would like to have us build cables to your specification we can take care of this for you. Our company designs and customizes many cables, cameras, lenses, and other imaging equipment.

Answered by:
William Corns
VP of Sales
Wilco Imaging, Inc.
wcorns [at] wilcoimaging [dot] com
858-699-2518

It is possible to make. Which grade is necessary?

Answered by:
Manabu Inazaki
Hirakawa Hewtech Corp.
manabu [dot] inazaki [at] hewtech [dot] co [dot] jp
81 2 5493 1721

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Gige Vision connector with locking, where can I find the spec.?

Hello Ulf, Contact "Steve Mott" from "Components Express Inc." I believe he should be able to help you on this. The mentioned company is a member of AIA, so you can find his contact information here: http://www.machinevisiononline.org/company-profile-detail.cfm?company_id=228 BR

Answered by:
Kasra Ravanbakhsh
Managing Director
Kasra Hooshmand Engineering Co., P.J.S. (KDI)
kasra [at] kdi-co [dot] com
98 21 8867 8023

Hello Ulf, The design was originally based on a thumbscrew connector and receptacle from Honda Connectors. The part numbers are MOD-YSP88P03+ and MOD-YSJ88( )03C+ . You may also email me and I will be happy to send you the PDF's.

Answered by:
Ron Folkeringa
Business Manager
Intercon 1 - A Division of Nortech Systems, Inc.
rfolkeringa [at] nortechsys [dot] com
(218) 828-3157

Ulf, We currently build GigE cables with locking connectors. What specification are you looking for? Size, pinout, ???

Answered by:
William Corns
VP of Sales
Wilco Imaging, Inc.
wcorns [at] wilcoimaging [dot] com
858-699-2518

RJ45 Is it a connector with a screw lock?

Answered by:
Manabu Inazaki
Hirakawa Hewtech Corp.
manabu [dot] inazaki [at] hewtech [dot] co [dot] jp
81 2 5493 1721

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