Bluetooth Connectors Monitor Cable and Contact Condition

Turck's M12Plus connectors monitor the voltage drop in the cable to prevent expensive plant downtimes and unscheduled maintenance work

Mülheim, November 2, 2023 – With its new M12Plus connectors, Turck is shifting the condition monitoring of cables subject to severe stress directly to the connection technology. The connectors, which come with voltage and current monitoring and a Bluetooth chip, enable measured voltage and current values to be sent wirelessly to a controller.

Comparing input and output values enables problems such as cable kinks, cable breaks or power outage to be detected early on. The user can identify in advance any cable that is at risk of failure via the individual MAC address of each connector and replace it immediately. The Turck Automation Suite (TAS) visualizes the measured values of the M12Plus via the Cable Monitor app and thus enables condition monitoring and other IIoT applications.

The latest design of the M12Plus features a four-core cable (4 x 0.34 mm²) of the TXL series with a robust polyurethane outer sheath and is specially designed for use in drag chains. A-coded M12Plus connectors are fitted to both ends of the cable. The measured values are transferred to the data interface via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. The maximum range of this is 40 m indoors and up to 100 m outdoors. When screwed tight, the M12Plus is protected to IP69K and offers outstanding resistance to chemicals and oil. It is flame resistant, resistant to welding sparks and is particularly wear resistant.