Revolutionize your production line: how robotics are shaping the future of manufacturing

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Robots are transforming manufacturing by taking over repetitive, accident-prone tasks, thereby enhancing productivity, accuracy, and safety. As demand for specialized components like compact, high-performance connectors and cable assemblies grows, partnering with experts like Molex and Arrow ensures seamless integration and superior performance in robotic applications.

Robots are increasingly taking on some of the most repetitive, accident- and error-prone tasks. At the same time, they’re affording manufacturers the opportunity to realize newfound productivity, accuracy and safety levels. As robotic systems find their way into more applications across a growing list of industries, so grows the demand for specialized connectors, cable assemblies and components.

For those who need to design safe and effective robotics to support a wide range of industries, including automated manufacturing, it’s critical to partner with an experienced provider of compact, high-performance assemblies, connectors, sensors and cables. But designing robotics is a complex undertaking that must take many diverse issues into consideration.

When Every Centimeter Matters
Responding to market demands for miniaturization, robotic manufacturers are increasingly requiring components that will deliver high performance in compact spaces. They require smaller connectors that facilitate high-speed, high-quality power transmission. As a pioneer in Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) technology, Molex has been proven to enhance robotic capabilities and intelligence with miniaturized connectors, wiring, sensors and other technologies, helping to make robots more compact for growing applications.

Fighting Downtime with Reliability
As robotics add both speed and complexity to factory operations, manufacturers prize solutions that minimize downtime. Molex supports production demands with ultra-rugged, high-performance easy-to-install industrial automation solutions designed to take on the toughest conditions. Component reliability translates to greater productivity and increased safety by limiting breakdowns and worker exposure to the hazards of performing repairs.

Leveraging Robotics for Safety
To meet customer expectations while ensuring worker safety and adhere to government safety regulations, manufacturers are turning to robotic systems to take on hazardous functions, freeing humans to focus on higher-level jobs. State-of-the-art automated technologies collaborate and support operators, working side-by-side, to maintain maximum output and efficiency. Molex facilitates seamless integration of robots and humans in modern manufacturing. Design experts with extensive technical knowledge in safety protocols, including CIP Safety and PROFIsafe, help customers achieve functional safety across all worker environments. Through collaboration, customers achieve efficient operations, while conforming to the highest regulatory standards.

Moving Towards Industry 4.0
The convergence of robotics along with AI, IoT, SaaS security and other rapidly expanding technologies are shepherding in the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0. Integrating robotics with cloud-based and existing operational systems is a big, complex job requiring specialized expertise and solutions. However, successful implementation of robotic systems offers manufacturers benefits in productivity, accuracy and job-site safety.

Molex offers communication solutions that extend beyond connectors, providing comprehensive communication and control capabilities that integrate with technologies such as Single-Pair Ethernet that doubles data transfer rates while maintaining consistent power quality. Reliable, compact connectivity products help customers manage robotic systems both on site, as well as virtually through cloud, intranet and other remote channels. Smart operators can now perform oversight functions from afar.

Innovative Robotic Solutions
Reliable, rugged, space-saving connectors enable smart manufacturing and result in a multitude of associated benefits. Specialized solutions for the robotics industry include:

Adaptable robot arms provide design flexibility to meet space constraints and reliably perform assembly tasks. Molex industrial-grade connectors are designed with optimized performance and miniaturized form factors, offering plug-and-play options, several circuit sizes, plating and mounting options and mating heights to support constantly changing requirements.

Internal Connectivity

Product Family
Pitch
Circuits
Current (Max per Contact)
Wire Gauge
Operating Temperature
SL Connectors Product Image
2.54mm
2 to 25
3.0A
2 to 50 AWG
-40 to 105°C
1.80, 3.60mm
2 to 10
14.0A
16 to 24 AWG
-40 to 105°C

High Power

Product Family
Pin Size
Circuits
Current (Max per Contact)
Voltage
Operating Temperature
3.40, 6.00, 8.00, 11.00mm
Single
350.0A
600V
-40 to 125°C
6.00, 8.00, 11.00mm
Single
300.0A
1,000V
-40 to 125°C

Power & Signal

Product Family
Configuration
Circuits
Voltage
Current (Max per Contact)
I/O Connectors
4 to 50
250V AC (RMS)/DC
1.0 to 15.0A
Robotics manufacturers demand servo motors and drives that are robust enough to endure vibrations, temperature extremes, dust and moisture. Molex industrial solutions offer rugged, compact connector systems with Terminal Position Assurance (TPA) locks to mitigate the risk of terminal backout and disconnection in high-vibration environments. IP-rated sealed connectors prevent dust and moisture from interfering with connection points.

Power, Brake & Encoder I/O

Product Family
Circuits
Voltage
IP Rating
Current (Max per Contact)
Field Attachables
Shielded
2 to 216
250V 10.0A/16.0A,
230/400V 16.0A,
500V 16.0A,
830V 35/80.0A,
460/690 + 250V 4x40.0A + 2x10.0A
100.0A
x
Shielded
6 to 19
IP67
28.0A
x
Shielded
3 to 4
600V rated
IP67, IP68, IP69k
32.0A
x
Shielded or unshielded

Encoder Internal Connections

Product Family
Pitch
Circuits
Current (Max per Contact)
Wire Gauge
Voltage (Max)
Operating Temperature
0.80mm
2 to 20
1.5A (2 to 6 circuits),
1.0A (7 to 20 circuits)
28 to 32 AWG
30V
-40 to +105°C
0.20 to 2.00mm
2 to 120
0.5A
50V
Up to +150°C
2.50mm
2 to 15
3.5A
20 to 26 AWG
250V
Up to 120°C

Servo Drives Internal Connection

Product Family
Pitch
Circuits
Current (Max per Contact)
Wire Gauge
Voltage (Max)
Operating Temperature
0.35 to 1.25mm
6 to 240
15.0A
100V
Up to 125°C
2.50, 3.00, 3.96mm
1 to 16
6.5, 11.0A
18 to 28 AWG
350V
-40 to 105°C
3.00mm
2 to 24
10.5A
18 to 30 AWG
600V
Up to 105°C
4.20mm
4 to 18
20.5A
14 to 28 AWG
600V
Up to 105°C

Peripheral & Network I/O

Product Family
Configuration
Circuits
Current
Data Speed
Voltage (Max)
Operating Temperature
Up to 24
3.0, 5.0, 6.0A
Up to 40 Gbps
48V
-30 to +85°C
-40 to +85°C
4, 6, 8
10 to 1,000 Mbps
Wire-to-board Wire-to-wire
6, 8, 10
0.5 to 2.0A
40V (6 circuit) 125V (8, 10 circuit)
-25 to +85°C (6 circuit) -40 to +85°C (8, 10 circuit)
Flexibility is key for factory robots. Hardware design must mitigate downtime for upgrades, maintenance and reconfigurations. Molex meets this need with agile I/O modules for end-of-arm applications that deliver superior performance in extreme conditions. Automation products feature quick-connect and rapid-startup capabilities, enabling fast swapping of multiple end-arm tools with protocol connections within 250 to 750 milliseconds.

Industrial Cables

Product Family
Insulation / Jacket Material
Torsion
Data Speeds / Data Transmission
Network Protocols
Voltage (Max)
Certification
TPE or halogen free PUR
Cycles 5 Mill Range up to 270°/m
Up to 10 Gbps / Up to 600 MHz
EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, SPE
1,000V
UL/CSA, UKCA, CE, RoHS

Industrial I/O Modules

Product Family
Input Voltage
Current
Power Consumption (Max)
Data Speeds
Network Protocols
IP Rating
24V DC, -15/+20%
1.0A (4 sourcing outputs) 2.0A (2 bipolar outputs)
240W
100 Mbps
CANopen, CIP Safety, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET
IP67

Power & Signal Connectivity

Product Family
Poles (Circuits)
Voltage
Current (Max per Contact)
Field Attachables
Shielded
Cable Material & Length
2, 3
24V DC / 230V AC
16.0A
x
Unshielded
PUR, PVC, weld-slag oil-resistant (WSOR) TPE up to 10m
3, 4, 5
60V AC / 75V DC up to 4.0A
4.0A
x
Shielded or unshielded
PUR, PVC, weld-slag oil-resistant (WSOR) TPE up to 100m
2 to 216
250V 10.0A/16.0A, 230/400V 16.0A, 500V 16.0A, 830V 35/80.0A, 460/690 + 250V 4x40.0A + 2x10.0A
100.0A
x
Shielded or unshielded
2 to 12, 14, 19
Up to 600V AC
10.0A
x
Shielded or unshielded
PUR, PVC, weld-slag oil-resistant (WSOR) TPE up to 100m
4, 5
63V AC/DC
16.0A
x
Shielded or unshielded
PUR, PVC, weld-slag oil-resistant (WSOR) TPE up to 20m

Industrial Data Connectivity

Product Family
Coding
Poles
IP Rating
Current (Max per Contact)
Field Attachables
Shielded
Cable Material & Length
X Code, D Code
4, 8
IP67, IP68
x
Shielded or unshielded
PUR, PVC, weld-slag oil-resistant (WSOR) TPE up to 100m
A Code, D Code
3, 4, 5, 8, 12
IP69k (22 AWG shielded cable), IP67 (all other cables)
4.0A
x
Shielded or unshielded
PUR, PVC, weld-slag oil-resistant (WSOR) TPE up to 100m
T1
IP20, IP65, IP67
x
Shielded
PUR and TPE up to 40m

Molex meets wide-ranging design needs with compact, user-friendly power connectors. Single-Pair Ethernet, Micro-Change M12 and Heavy-Duty Rectangular Connectors deliver the reliable performance robotic applications demand. Together with Arrow, find your Molex solution for the robotic industry and enhancing factory productivity and safety.

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