Connectivity solutions for packaging machinery

Molex Inc., Lisle, Ill. will showcase its Brad automation products at Pack Expo International, September 23 – 25, in Las Vegas, at booth 5884. Designed to meet the needs of packaging machine builders, robot manufacturers and system integrators, the products allow for implementing intelligent, on-machine control systems and enabling easy implementation of industrial network protocols, including Industrial Ethernet. They are also ideally suited for harsh duty environments such as those found in the food and beverage industry, including IP67 ratings and stainless steel construction.

Brad automation products are grouped into several categories and address multiple needs and applications in food and beverage packaging.

Connectivity

• Brad M12 Power Connection System provides a 16.0-A current capability within the traditional M12 connector envelope, as well as an IP67-sealed interface. By delivering greater power in a small, watertight package, Brad M12 connectors allow machine designers to create more compact and efficient machinery for harsh and wet environments.
• Brad Micro-Change M12 CAT6A Connector System with X-coded cross-shielding achieves superior signal integrity and up to 10 Gbps Ethernet for vision systems and other high-speed data transfer applications in harsh environments. It conforms to IEC 61076-2-109.
• Brad Micro-Change M12 Circular Hybrid Technology (CHT) Connectors combine CAT5e Ethernet with auxiliary power lines, offering high signal integrity and excellent performance with rugged IP67-sealing. Combining power and data lines in one M12 connector, Micro-Change CHT connectors feature a reduced footprint and lower installation and cabling costs in packaging process and automation control applications.
• Brad Ultra-Lock Connection system provides a positive locking, push-to-lock, pull-to-disconnect, fast, secure, and reliable connection to control devices. With its IP69K rating, this connection system is ideal for machines exposed to high-pressure, wash down environments.

Power

• BradPower a modular, quick-connection system that makes it easy to replace hard wiring of machine motors and other high amperage devices allows for quick reconfiguration of machinery for process control, material handling and packaging. Watertight, crush resistant, stainless steel designs are UL approved, NEC compliant and IP69K rated.

Communications and Controls

• Brad HarshIO are machine-mountable IP67 harsh-duty I/O modules that support all major industrial fieldbuses including PROFIBUS-DP, DeviceNet, CANopen, Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP and PROFINET. Brad HarshIO features, such as 60 and 30-mm housing formats, user configurable I/O channels, and 4- and 5-pin power supply versions, simplify user choice and satisfy a broad range of industrial applications in a variety of applications including food and beverage filling machine and robotic fast tool changeovers.
• Brad PC-Based Network Interface Cards (NIC) deliver reliable, cost-effective, high-speed communications and control for a multitude of industrial protocols used for process control in critical manufacturing robot control and more. Offering intelligent communications, NIC cards are suitable for various computer bus formats, including o PCI, PCI Express, CompactPCI, PC/104, USB and VME
  • 1x or 2x ports versions connected directly to industrial networks
  • DeviceNet, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP and PROFINET
• Brad SST IP67 Remote Communication Module for PROFIBUS-connectivity is a powerful PB3 remote module designed to execute high-speed PROFIBUS DP data exchange with Rockwell’s Logix Controllers. Its harsh duty design and remote capabilities allow the module to be installed on machines, in production cells, or in the field where Ethernet connectivity allows the module to be easily managed remotely.

Molex Inc.
www.molex.com