Cables usually last for many years - but in the case of highly dynamic, demanding movements with high speeds and strong torsion, it is advantageous (and cost-saving) if the connection systems are monitored in order to avoid unforeseen downtimes. For this purpose, Lapp is launching the 'Etherline Guard' - a stationary monitoring device that evaluates the current performance of a data line and displays it as a percentage.

This is based on data that is determined from the physical properties of the data transmission via a sensor system. The real-time status display makes it possible to recognize the wear limit of a cable and to plan the optimum replacement time in advance. Lapp recommends the 'data line monitor' primarily for data lines in accordance with the 100BASE-TX transmission standard (up to 100 Mbit/s) as per IEEE 802.3, but also for Ethercat, Ethernet/IP and 2-pair Profinet applications such as 'Etherline Torsion Cat. 5' or 'Etherline PN Cat. 5 FD'. These cables are used in many industries over the last few meters or at the process level of an application, so they are often part of drag chains or torsion cable guides, such as those found in robot arms.

The 'Etherline Guard' is suitable for top-hat rail mounting and can be installed in the control cabinet thanks to its IP20 protection rating. The guard for data cables has a space-saving design (49 mm × 76.5 mm × 36 mm WxHxD) and is operated with 24 V(DC). It is designed for a temperature range of -40 to +75 °C and is vibration and shock resistant in accordance with DIN EN 60529. It is plugged into a data line node between the critical application or the line to be monitored and the control side. For this purpose, the device has a guard/data port for the data line to be monitored with an RJ45 plug, which leads from the critical application to the device, and a data port for the data line with an RJ45 plug, which leads from the device to the controller. The maintenance data can be transmitted to a higher-level controller by connecting a third data line to the LAN socket (PM03T variant) or by using the antenna connection for WiFi (PM02TWA variant). Both variants can be configured for cloud communication with MQTT. The external SMA antenna connection ensures a secure radio link if the device is located in the control cabinet, for example.

The developers have only provided simple diagnostics and setting options on the device. Commissioning takes just a few minutes thanks to automated and self-learning parameterization (teach-in). It is started by pressing a button or via the web interface. No brand-new data lines or changes to the cable design are required for the application - retrofitting is therefore possible at any time.

Lapp's patented predictive maintenance algorithms can be used to detect irregularities in the analyzed data. The two digital outputs Q1 and Q2 enable the cable status to be output as a switching signal or as a pulse-width modulated analog signal, whereby the alarm threshold for the switching output Q1 can be specified by the user. Both the LAN and WiFi versions can output the cable status via MQTT. The LAN version has a LAN RJ45 connection for this purpose, while the WiFi version communicates wirelessly. The 'Etherline Guard' continuously calculates the cable status as a percentage and sounds an alarm if the performance or transmission properties of a line deteriorate and a failure could be imminent. The alarm trigger threshold is set to 80% at the factory, but can be individually adjusted between 99% and 21%.