Innovations in the Connectivity World
Connectivity as a whole is fairly straightforward. Utilitarian. Many of the products are commodities.
Connectivity hasn’t traditionally seen high innovation over most of its history. There’s simply an ongoing march of minor improvements and scant innovation you’d call revolutionary. Connect A to B. Black and white.
That’s why – in a geeky kind of way – I’m excited about some new Banner products that are real innovations in the arena of connectivity. Among other automation-related products, Banner is a manufacturer of connectivity solutions. When designing new products, it takes a fast, iterative approach to product innovation. In the last 18 months it has introduced some products that – I dare say – are truly innovative in the connectivity field.
I’m talking about Banner’s molded junction blocks as well as the line of slim S15 inline adapters, converters, fuses, filters, and more. These are AA-battery size devices offering a range of benefits we’ve never seen before in the connectivity world. The compact inline devices use standard M12 connectors, so you can insert them into your system in seconds.
S15A Inline Wiring Adaptors
Take the line of S15A Inline Wiring Adaptors: Designed to connect directly to a sensor, indicator, or other device to redirect wiring for any function, these adaptors reroute wiring to match specific application requirements. And they can match outputs to inputs and isolate select signals.
Adaptors are available that “flip” the pin configuration to solve any number of problems that would otherwise require a lot of time and expense to solve through a labor-intensive manual solution. So this adaptor reduces costs and time. The techs here at Banner describe the S15A line as “Get out of jail free” cards because they can be used whenever you’re in a jam. They’re problem solvers.
S15L Inline Indicator
Another innovative device in this product line is the S15L Inline Indicator. Via small but bright LEDs, the S15L displays both power and signal presence. An example of an application could be for sensors that monitor alignment of engine block components during assembly. One inline indicator per sensor gives operations staff instant visual status indication for all the sensors in the line. This indication brings the status of a monitored assembly line to the floor, so the operator can see the status in real time.
Without this device, staff would have to manually check individual sensors if they wanted to ensure they were operating correctly. This is especially helpful when the sensors or other monitored devices are hidden or difficult to see. The ability to obtain instant status lets staff quickly dial in on a problem area and give attention where needed, ensuring problems get solved fast, leaving more uptime.
S15J Inline Fuse
The next S15 inline device is the S15J Inline Fuse. It’s available in two versions: a resettable fuse and fast-blow, traditional one.
But how innovative can a fuse be, you ask? Installation to a cable with M12 connections takes all of about four seconds. The fuse is UL approved, waterproof, and fully protected from the environment, so your worries about protecting an expensive piece of equipment are limited to finding four seconds of time in your busy schedule.
Those in charge of spec'ing this device will appreciate how easy it is to replace, leaving staff extra time for more important tasks. The resettable version has an over-molded design that seals the internal components permanently against the environment, and it meets IP65, IP67, & IP68 requirements. LEDs provide status to indicate healthy or blown state.
Banner products are specced and designed to use Class 2 power supplies, but sometimes they're unavailable or the cost is prohibitive. So here’s something notable about the fast-blow fuse: Although it’s rated for use with a class-2 power supply, if you’re using a class-1 supply — once this fuse has been inserted into the line — the output will meet class-2 requirements. Nice!
R95 and R50 Molded Junction Blocks
The final connectivity products I’ll touch on are the R95 and R50 Molded Junction Blocks. These are over-molded (not potted) input/output devices, featuring parallel wiring. They are passive wiring devices used for signal consolidation into a central hub, and they come in a unique new single plane design.
Instead of a traditional layout, with ports all mounted on the face of the product, this junction block is designed with all the ports mounted around the perimeter of the block, on its four sides. The R95 is available with eight input ports and a single output port. The little brother R50 has four inputs. Both deliver flexibility and customization at a lower cost-of-entry than potted or metal products. They can handle wet or dusty environments as well as hot and cold temperatures.
The junction block’s ports can be customized with a variety of different connections. This product reduces wiring, clutter, and complexity, not to mention headaches! With this device, you can avoid running 16 cables between the monitored machine’s sensors and the controller. What I find most notable about the R95 is that it can be customized to meet OEM needs. Quick-turn modifications can be done to match specific customer requests, and the modification needs only a new PCB layout.
The devices discussed in this post are just a few of the innovative products Banner has released recently. And you have to admit, in the field of connectivity, these are a bit more exciting than what we’re used to seeing. Keep your eye on Banner. There are numerous innovative products both available now as well as in the works. It turns out connectivity can be exciting!
