Hyperflexible Ethernet Cable - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: LaserSteve
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2018, 09:04:06 pm
content: Where to get a 20 foot "survivable" flexible Ethernet cable for a University Robotics Project?We have a competition robot that has to crawl into a 48"x48"by 60" steel cube with a few obstacles and take data. Edges of the metal will be relatively sharp. it needs to live for at least two hours of competition. Environment is dry and room temperature. Desired properties are flexible, tough, and already terminated. This is not a battle bot, just a probe. Cheap would help, budget per cable is 50$.There has to be an industrial flex cable for robotics that is not solid wire, but today Google is not being my friend.WIFI is out per the competition rules.Steve

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2018, 09:37:27 pm
content: "Continuous flex" is what you're looking for. L-com carries some, but it's not budget friendly.http://www.l-com.com/tabbeditem_mobi.aspx?id=10532Igus also sells terminated cables to go in flex chains, but no price listed.http://www.newark.com/lumberg-automation/0985-806-500-10m/patch-cord-rj45-plug-cat5e-10m/dp/12X2560may be a candidate. High flex, so it can take repeat bending, but not sure how flexible/floppy it actually is.

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2018, 09:44:10 pm
content: Lappkabel and Belden have some for sure. Take this starting point, as I am unlikely to find the exact designations before mid/end next week.

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2018, 10:06:02 pm
content: Quote from: LaserSteve on March 09, 2018, 09:04:06 pmDrag cable maybe?Thisgets close to your budget constraints, unfortunately out of stock.

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2018, 05:11:23 am
content: Look for a production supply company, they'll have rugged networking cables, usually with nice Neutrik EtherCON connectors--you'll need EtherCON jacks to plug into, but the jacks accept standard 8P8C connectors. Should fit nicely in your budget, if I remember the last pricing we got on them correctly.Alternatively, there are Cat-treated M12 Ethernet interconnects, so you can probably find a nice cable assembly using those connectors, although I'm not sure where you'd buy them.

author: Halfdead
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2018, 05:37:31 am
content: You can always make your own cables easily enough.

author: DimitriP
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2018, 05:42:50 am
content: QuoteIf can diy you could run double split loom over it and wrap it with tape. Yes that's a lot of loom and a lot of tapeOr take a look at these:https://www.belden.com/products/industrial/cable/ethernet/cat5ehttps://www.belden.com/products/industrial/cable/ethernet/cat6https://www.belden.com/products/industrial/cable/ethernet/cat5e-profinet

author: LaserSteve
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2018, 11:13:47 am
content: Thanks for the suggestions.Steve

author: Leo Bodnar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2018, 07:41:46 pm
content: Igus makes a lot of industrial high-flex field bus cables: e.g.https://www.igus.co.uk/iPro/iPro_01_0013_0208_GBen.htmThey have a lot more on the website.Leo

author: LaserSteve
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2018, 11:04:11 pm
content: Cicoil DC 500 is my new dream cable.Yes, they make silicone hyperflex twisted pair stranded cable, but at 10$ a foot or so its not inexpensive.Next year we'll probably use RS485 or Canbus... Lesson learned.Steve