Industrial-cabling product manufacturer LAPP offers Etherline Guard, a monitoring device for data cables. The unit allows cabling-plant managers to carry out maintenance measures on data cables according to their actual condition and performance to avoid unexpected failures, LAPP explains.
The company offers the Etherline brand of industrial Ethernet (IE) cables, which it describes as “durable and long-lasting.” Nonetheless, these cables “are subjected to repeated dynamic movements with high speeds and strong torsion that, over time, will require maintenance,” LAPP explains.
“Etherline Guard acquires sensor data about the physical properties of cables, so users can monitor actual cable performance and implement a preventative maintenance strategy,” the company continues. “Planned downtimes increase plant and equipment availability and avoid unexpected failures, reducing maintenance costs and improving productivity.”
The Etherline Guard monitoring device offers the following capabilities.
- Real-time status display—Users can detect cable wear and plan the optimal replacement time in advance.
- Simple data analysis—Patented preventative maintenance algorithms make it easy to detect irregularities in the analyzed data.
- Easy commissioning—What LAPP calls an automated “teach-in” takes a few minutes.
- Space-saving design—The device is 49x36 mm and 76 mm in height.
- Easy implementation—Etherline Guard does not require a new data cable to be installed, or any changes to cable design. It allows upgrades within the existing network.
- Reliable cloud communication—The MQTT interface enables status and data evaluation, settings, WiFi configuration, and updates.
LAPP says the Etherline Guard monitor is particularly recommended for 100Base-TX data cables as well as EtherCAT, EtherNET/IP and 2-pair PROFINET applications.
