Integral transformers in IP20 protected RJ45 sockets have been in industrial use for a long time now. Launched at Hannover Messe, the M12 Magnetics gives users the benefits of saving space and mutually compatible Ethernet components to miniaturize their field applications.

A device-side M12 socket stays the same size but already contains the transformer unit required for Ethernet. In the past, transformers and various other electrical components had to be accommodated next to the socket on the circuit board, but are now integrated as part of a space-saving design that also simplifies the circuit board layout. Conductor tracks can be made much lighter and more direct because they don’t have to be arranged around many different components, making planning simpler and cheaper.

These new socket designs offer greatly increased reliability. In the past, sockets and transformers made by different manufacturers had to be combined, which could sometimes be problematic. The HARTING solution is a mutually compatible unit providing greater process security. With 10Gbit and max PoE+, M12 Magnetics is the ideal miniaturized interface for Power and Data.